TREE FACTS
Canada’s Flag. In 1965 the maple leaf was put onto the middle of Canada’s flag.  It wasn’t until 1996 that the maple tree was officially recognized as Canada’s national tree.

Eastern White Pine. During the spring of 1984, the Eastern White Pine (pinus strobus L.) was declared Ontario’s provincial tree.  The choice was entirely appropriate.  More than any other factor, the White Pine shaped Ontario’s history.  The story of the White Pine is more than a story of man and nature; it is the story of making a province.

Ancient Cedars. Ontario's trees are often older than you'd think. Ancient cedars growing on the Niagara Escarpment germinated over 1300 years ago, and large yellow birch trees in Algonquin Park are more than 600 years old.

Trees in the Bible. The Cedar and Fig are both mentioned 44 times in the Bible, the Olive 37 times, the Palm 31 times, the Oak 20 times, and the Poplar just once.\

Tree Product Consumption. On average, each American uses more than 600 pounds of paper and almost 200 board feet of timber per year.

Forest Debris. More than 2000 pounds of leaves, twigs, seeds, tree trunks, and branches may rain down each year upon an acre of forest floor. This debris is later returned to the soil by organisms that aid in decomposition.

Wildlife Uses. Many different forms of wildlife depend highly on trees for survival. Every part of a tree can be used as food for wildlife. Many animals consume the nuts and fruits of trees. Others chew on bark and twigs. Some insects and burrowing animals will feed on the roots. Even the flower provides food for many species of insects and birds. Most of this feeding is damaging to a tree, but in some cases it is highly beneficial. Animals aid in the dispersal of tree species by feeding on the fruits and depositing the seeds in other locations. Many animals also find shelter in trees. Birds and squirrels build nests in the crown or the trunk. Even fish will use the roots of tree roots that are submerged in water.

Human Uses of trees also include food and shelter. Fruits and nuts are very commonly consumed worldwide. In many places, the bark, wood, leaves, and humans also consume roots. Lumber products from trees have many uses. Most paper products have a tree source. Trees are still used for fuel in some places. Other products that come from trees include coffee, rubber, maple syrup, herbal medicines, soaps, perfumes, and cosmetics and many others.  Trees will also help reduce air pollution and can help conserve energy by shading a home in the summer and creating a windbreak for the winter.

FACTS ABOUT CERTAIN SPECIES
Sequoias. The giant Sequoias, when mature, average 10-15 feet in diameter and grow to heights of 250-300 feet. The largest Sequoia, known as the General Sherman Tree, can be found in Sequoia National Park in California. It has a trunk 30 feet across at the base and has a height of 275 feet. General Sherman, with a volume of 52,500 square feet, is considered the largest living thing in the world.

Witch hazel. The Witch hazel, among others, has seed pods that will contract as they dry, ejecting their contents like "bullets" over surprising distances. The forked branches of this shrub or small tree were used as divining rods to detect underground sources of water. In addition, several well preserved mammoth specimens were discovered with Witch hazel leaves in their stomachs, indicating a dependence on the plant for food.

Apples have been in culture for thousands of years. They were introduced from Europe and Asia and were successfully promoted in this country by Jonathan Chapman, also known as "Johnny Appleseed."

Sugar Maples can produce up to twelve quarts of sap per day, but it takes 45-50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup.

Bristle-Cone Pines. Individual trees in this species are thought to be over 4500 years old, making it a species that is capable of living the longest of any known species.

WORLD RECORDS
The Oldest Tree known is a Redwood named Eternal God. The tree, found in the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in California, has a height of 238 feet and a diameter of 19.6 feet. It is believed to be 12,000 years old, but this figure is disputed; others believe the tree to be only 7,000 years old, still a world record.

The Most Massive Tree ever known was the "Lindsey Creek Tree", a Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) with a minimum trunk volume of 90,000 cubic feet and a minimum total mass of 3630 tons. The tree blew over in a storm in 1905. The living tree with the greatest mass is "General Sherman", a giant sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum, in Sequoia National Park in California. It is 275 feet tall with a girth of 102 feet and 8 inches.

The Tallest Living Tree is a Coast Redwood known as the "Mendocino Tree" found in Montgomery State Reserve, Ukiah, CA. It is about 367 feet and 6 inches tall with a 10.5 foot diameter and is over 1000 years old and still growing.