8.9.25 - Part 2

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hello, and welcome to Rei's Children Story Hour as a
Reminder is a reading service intended for people who are
blind or have other disabilities that make it difficult to
read printed material. Today we will be reading from various
books on trees. Your reader today is Diane. We will
continue from with the book from Last Time, The Magic

(00:24):
and Mystery of Trees. It was published by Penguin Random House.
It has a copyright year of twenty nineteen and the
author is Jin Green. Tree senses. A tree doesn't have eyes, ears, fingers,
or toes because they're so different from us. For a

(00:47):
long time, no one knew trees had senses, But now
we know that they can tell what's going on around them.
They can sense the outside world hot and cold. Trees
can sense how hot or cold is. Even tiny seeds
know if the tempture has become warm enough for them

(01:09):
to gross throughout and start growing. Touch. Tree roots are
amazingly sensitive. A tree can tell which roots in the
underground tangle are its own. Can also tell whether its
neighbors are the same type of tree. Taste. When an
animal nibbles on a leaf, the tree can taste the

(01:29):
animals spit. Trees can even tell different animals apart from
the taste of their spit. Hearing, roots can hear the
sound of running water and grow towards it. Even when
the tree is completely sold off, it knows the water
is there. We don't yet know how they do this scene.
They may not have eyes, but trees can certainly sense

(01:52):
light and grow toward it. Every leaf on a tree
can tell which direction the light is coming from. After all,
they need light to make food. Time trees live life
in the slow lane, but they do keep track of
time and spring. Trees can sense the days getting longer
and fall. They know the days are shorter and prepare

(02:14):
for winter. Being themselves, no two trees are exactly the same.
Different trees living in the same conditions still grow into
different shapes. Some trees take part in the wood wide web,
while others are loners. Talking trees can talk to insects

(02:36):
using sights and smells. The bright colors and sweet scents
of flowers till these some butterflies that food is available, shouting.
When they get thirsty, trees start yelling. If water can't
flow from the roots to the leaves, the trunk starts
to vibrate. That's the tree's way of complaining. The handkerchief

(03:01):
tree from China has flowers that look like dangling napkins.
We are only just beginning to uncover all the mysteries
of what trees consent. Scientists are beginning to research how
trees think. Using their roots like a brain, they can
sense the outside world and even talk back. Tree defenses.

(03:25):
Imagine if you were a tree and an insects start
to nibble on you ouch. Luckily, trees have lots of
clever ways to stop insect invaders. Sticky sap beetles attacking
lodge pulpines often find themselves in a sticky situation. Before
the yummy bark can be devoured, the pine tree imprison

(03:45):
the insect in a very sticky sap trap. Bitter dinner beech,
oak and spruce trees can pump chemicals called tannins into
their leaves to make them taste bitter whilst the insects
milk so they move on to other trees insects to

(04:06):
the rescue. Some trees use a different tack to defend
themselves against sap sucking insects called apids. They give off
a special scent that calls lady bugs. These spotted insects
hunt aphids and will eat them all day if they
get the chance. The tree can tell what kind of
bug is biting it, and it can send for the

(04:29):
right helpers under attack. Giraffes are the natural enemy of
the acacia tree. Luckily for the acacias, they have some
clever defenses at the ready. Not only do they protect themselves,
they also warn other trees of the danger. Danger Acacia
trees can sense giraffes spit when the trees leaves are

(04:52):
being nibbled. It starts making chemicals that make the leaves
taste bitter yuck. Beware giraffes. Acacias have long, sharp thorns
to ward off animals, but the giraffes long fixable tongue
dodges the thorns to pluck tufts of green leaves. Deterred

(05:18):
giraffes don't like the bitter leaves, so they move on
to other trees heads up. As well as protecting themselves,
the acsheas give off a special scent that warns trees
nearby that hungry giraffes are around. Group efforts. The acicheus
trees pick up the scent and start making their own

(05:39):
bitter chemicals. The giraffes now have to walk a long
way to find leaves that don't taste aful incredible trees.
Trees are the biggest, heaviest, and oldest living things on
the planet. They can live in the snowy heights of

(06:00):
the Andes and even clone themselves. Trees can live for
a long time in all kinds of places because they
are good at adapting to different environments. The world's very
tallest tree is the redwood growing in California named Tiperini,
and it sorts three hundred and seventy seven feet high,

(06:21):
the height of about twenty giraffes. A giant soica named
General Sherman is the world's largest individual living thing. It
has a massive trunk twenty six feet across Montusma bald Cyprus,
called the Tull Tree, stands in a churchyard in Mexico.
Is the world's whitest tree and measures one hundred and

(06:44):
nineteen feet around the trunk, but it is only one
hundred and sixteen feet tall. The world's oldest known tree
is a bristle compine named Methisula. It grows high in
the White Mountains of California, and it's four, eight hundred
years old. The roots of a hon pine growing in Tasmania,

(07:07):
Australia are in epic ten thousand, five hundred years old.
A group of quaking aspen trees in a forest of
Utah are all identical sprouts of one tree, connected by roots.
This makes the group the world's heaviest living thing. Together,
the trees weigh as much as thirty three blue wells.

(07:29):
The tough polyeps trees of South America can grow at
heights of up to seventeen thousand feet in the Andes Mountain,
where it's two cold and windy for other trees to
grow tree habitats. Trees aren't that fussy about where they live.
All they need is sunshine, water, and a little soil

(07:51):
in which to spread their roots. That's why forests are
found all over the world and why such an amazing
array of animal and plant life is found with in
their depths. Trees are tough survivors. Scattered trees can take
root on steep, stony mountains. They cling to life on
storm battered coast and survive howling winds. In the snowy tundru.

(08:14):
They survive on the edges of dusty deserts and on
busy streets and city centers. In fact, trees can get
by almost anywhere. This section explores habitats the world over.
Read on to discover how trees provide a home for
an incredible variety of mammals, birds, insects, and fish. Tree homes.

(08:37):
This great, big oak tree is home to lots of creatures.
From the top most branches to the deepest roots. Animals
and plants live side by side, just like people in
an apartment building. Dig in an oak tree like this
provides food for everyone, sort of like a natural supermarket.

(08:58):
Carnivores such as apur and bats are keeping a lookout
for small animals and insects to hunt Herbivores such as insects, birds,
and deer much on every part of the tree. They
nib on its leaves, buds, fruits, and even bark. Below
ground in the tree's basement, worms, beetles, and fungi feasts

(09:20):
among the roots. Blackbirds build cozy nests high in the
tree branches to lay their eggs. The nests keep the
chicks warm and safe from predators such as foxes. The
woodpecker drums hose in the bark with its super sharp
beak to find juicy grubs, then its slurps up the

(09:41):
insects with its sticky tongue in falls. Guirrels bery nuts
in the ground to save for winter. Foxes use their
sharp claws to dig snug dens among the trees fruits.
Tropical rainforests. The s Amazon rainforest is home to more

(10:02):
living things than any other place in the world. A
small patch of rainforest can contain hundreds of types of trees. Emergent.
Tall trees called emergents hope their heads above the forest
campy they can enjoy the sun without having to compete
with other trees for light. K Pop trees are common

(10:26):
in the rainforest. They can grow up to two hundred
and thirty feet. Canopy rainforest trees love the hot, steamy weather.
They grow tall, creating a dense, shady roof called a
canopy understory. The understory is dim because the canopy above

(10:49):
blocks most of the light forest floor the ground level,
and a rainforest is dark and dry because the higher
levels absorb almost all the light and rain. Temperate rainforests,
unlike tropical forests. Temperate rainforests grow in areas of mild

(11:10):
weather where it is neither too hot nor too cold.
Many of the trees are conifers. This misty forest is
home to lots of animals that like to keep cool.
River beavers. Beavers build dams across forest streams. They gnaw
through saplings young trees with their sharp front teeth, timber

(11:32):
the tree crashes down to become part of the dam.
Big cats pumas are large cats that silently slink through
the forest. They pounce on animals as large as deer
and kill them by biting their necks. Tree frogs Pacific
tree frogs live in forest ponds and damp ditches. They

(11:52):
are brown, gray, or green, but can change color to
blend in with their surroundings of the forest. The world's
largest temperate rainforest grows along the west coast of North America.
It is made up of mostly conifers, including the tallest
trees in the world, giant redwoods. The trees grow so

(12:14):
well because they have plenty of water. The rain is
heaviest in winter, but in the summer months, thick damp
fogs roll in from the ocean. Gentle giants moose are
the largest type of deer. Males have huge antlers. They
glide among the trees, munching ferns, grass twigs, and tree

(12:34):
bark chipmunks. Chipmunks are nimble little rodents that scamper through
the forest searching for nuts, fruits, and seeds. They carry
food back to their burrows and their bulging cheek pouches raccoons.
This scrappy mammal has a broad black stripe across its eyes,
like a bandit's masks. It acts like abandoned too, rating

(12:59):
bursts nests to steal eggs. Swamp forest. In the hot
and human swamp, unusual trees called mangroves grow in slow moving,
murky water. In this coastal tropical forest, the trees are
washed twice a day by salty tides. Trees on stilts.
Mangrove trees have tall roots that lift the tree high

(13:22):
above the water. These roots filter out most of the
salt so the tree can drink fresh water. The salt
water crocodile lurks in gloom, waiting for prey. The muddy
water around the mangrove roots is the perfect hiding place
for the world's largest reptile. Falling leaves get snapped up
by crabs. Some mangroves move salt into their leaves, which

(13:47):
then fall off the Sunda barns in Banglesh is the
world's largest mangrove forest. Mud skippers are strange fish that
can live out of water. They skitter over the mud
using their strong front fence. The Bengal tiger prows the
swamp in search of deer. Its striped coat provides the

(14:10):
perfect camoufage in the tall wreaths of the water's edge.
Many fish hide among the roots. The mangroves. Roofs poke
into the mud and slow down the water. This stops
the coast from eroding, which is wearing away over time.
Snow forest the dense, dark Taga forest is covered with

(14:34):
snow in winter. It grows across can Russia and northern Europe,
wrapping itself around the world like an enormous green scarf.
Cool conifers. The Taga is made up of mostly conifers
such as spruce and fur. Conifer's pointy shape and waxing
needle like leaves help them shed the heavy snow. The

(14:58):
Taga covers more of the world than any other forest.
White world. Northern forests have short, cool summers and long
harsh winters. Snow often covers the ground for months on end.
The crossbill has pincer shaped beak with overflapping tips. It

(15:20):
pries open pine cones to get at the seas inside.
Bears use their sharp claws to climb trees and get
to bee's nest. The bear breaks open the nest and
slurps the honey. The male moose has huge branching antlers,
which it likes to scratch against the trees. Reindeers spin

(15:42):
the winter in these sheltered forest, eating leeches from branches
and underneath the snow. Pine martins dart along the snowy
forest floor, sniffing out small animals to hunt. A ghostly
gray owl fly silently above the forest, keeping the eye

(16:02):
out for signs of prey on the ground below. Extreme survivors.
Most trees prefer to live in mild, warm, and sunny places. However,
some hardy trees can cope with incredibly tough conditions, such
as extreme heat or cold, or long dry periods called droughts.
On the edge, pine and cypress trees can grow on

(16:25):
very windy cliffs. Powerful gusts break off branches, leaving only
one side of the tree to grow. You can tell
which way the wind blows by looking at these trees.
Dwarf willow beyond the northern take it lies the frozen
Arctic tundra. The shrub like Arctic willow can cope with
the bitter cold and deep snow and hugs the ground

(16:47):
out of reach of whistling winds and takes one hundred
years to grow just eight inches. Trees left drinking water,
but some have adapted to very dry environments. They snatch
up every drop they can find. Koala home a tall
eucalyptus or gum trees grow in dry areas of Australia.

(17:08):
Kualas weed. Only Eucalyptus leaves water. Tank babib tree grows
on the dry grassy plains of Africa. In the rainy season,
they strow water in the trunks to survive the dry season.
Fireproof Ponderosa pine trees can survive fires. They have extra

(17:28):
thick protective bark that can grow up to four inches thick.
Trees In me, trees help us in a hundred different ways.
They provide food, wood, and many other useful products. They
make the air fresh and healthy by creating oxygen, and
help make our planet a clean place to live. Trees

(17:50):
take cook care of us and other living things. Yet
all over the world people are harming trees. We cut
forest down for timber and to make room for farms cities.
We also cause pollution that is hurting the trees. Trees
to a lot to keep our world green and healthy.
They provide a home for the countless plants, animals, and
people who live in forests around the world. In turn,

(18:13):
it's up to each and every one of us to
take good care of trees. Harvest time from a piece
of juicy fruit to spicy guacamola tree provides us with
so many mouthwatering meals. Without trees, there would be no chocolate, mango, yogurt,
or avocado toast. They even produce powerful medicines that help

(18:35):
us get well when we are filling ill junk food.
Palm tree oils used to make pizza, cookies, and ice cream.
Rainforests are being destroyed to make space for the trees
to create the oil. To protect the rainforest, it's best
not to eat too many trees made with palm oil,

(18:55):
fruit salad. Fruit trees once grew wild and forests, but
now they are grown mainly by humans and orchards or plantations.
We eat the seas inside. Some fruits, such as pomegranates
crunchy nuts. Lots of nuts come from trees, including brazil nuts,
which come from one of the tallest trees in the

(19:16):
Amazon rainforests. Coconut palms produce the largest nuts of any tree.
Tree doctor the headache medicine aspen originally comes from the
bark of the willow tree. Another helpful tree is the sincona,
which creates a messin called Queen nine that helps treat

(19:37):
malaria spicy flavors. Without trees, our food would be very bland.
Cinnamon and nutmey can really spice up a meal. Cola
nuts are used to flavor fizzy cola. Beans from the
CaCO tree give chocolate its unique taste. Sweet syrup, the
maple syrup on your pancakes, is made from the sap

(20:00):
of the sugar maple is collected by hammering a metal
tap into the tree's trunk and catching the sap that
drips out. Made from trees, wood is a super material.
It's strong, beautiful one can be grown in eco friendly way.
We use this incredible material to build our houses and

(20:22):
to make all kinds of objects, paper goods, paper and
cardboarder made from the tiny chips of soft wood mixed
with water. This makes a mushy pulp which is then
rolled flat and dried. Wooden world. Take a look around
your home. How many objects can you find that are
made of wood? From pencils made from cedar to pine furniture,

(20:45):
wood is all around the home. It takes at least
thirty years to grow a pine tree for wood. Hardywood
trees such as oak and maple, makes strong hardwood that
is used for roof beams and furniture. Tropical hardwoods such
as mahogany and rosewood are used to make guitars because

(21:06):
they create a clear sound. Hardwood is strong and tough,
but the trees grow very slowly. Rubber rubber trees use
a milky sap which is turned into car and bicycle tires.
Rubber boots, party balloons, and rubber bands are also made
from rubber. A type of instance called agar wood, which

(21:29):
comes from Accillaria trees, is worth more than golds trees
in the planet. Trees are vital to every single person
on the planet. They keep the earth cool and moist,
which makes it a nice place to live. Trees love
to soak up water, but don't worry, they are willing

(21:50):
to share it with the rest of us. They even
help to create clouds. This process is called the water cycle.
The water cycle. This which water moves between the sea, air,
and land in a NonStop cycle called the water cycle.
Trees play a very important part in this by releasing

(22:11):
water back into the air and absorbing it through their roots.
They stop rain from flowing right back into the sea.
Forest help cool the air around the earth. The planet
is already warmer than it should be, but without trees
it would heat up even more. Leaves can catch rain

(22:33):
and give off extra moisture. The tree doesn't need as
water vapor, so it rains high in near The moisture
from the tree forms clouds. When clouds float over high areas,
such as mountains, water falls this rain or snow. The
clouds move inland rain to places that would be dry

(22:54):
without it. Without trees, deserts would cover much more of
the earth. The water flows back down towards the lower ground.
Any rain that the trees don't absorb soaks into the
soil or runs off into rivers. Trees at risk all

(23:15):
over the world. People are cutting down trees to use
the land covered by forest. Slowly but surely, even vast
forests like the Amazon are getting smaller. We also harm
trees by spreading pollution. We need to take better care
of our precious forest. Forest destruction. Why are forests disappearing?
People cut down trees for timber and also to light

(23:37):
wood fires to keep warm and to cook. With clear
forest land, to build new roads and cities, and to
make way for new farms and ranches where we raise
cattle and grow crops lost homes. When the loggers move in,
the wine of chainsaws fills the air. Mighty trees come
crashing down, Logs are loaded onto trucks. In the end,

(24:00):
all that is left are broken stumps. Animals such as
birds and deer run for their lives and are left
for nowhere to live. This is called habitat destruction effects.
Tree roots keep the soil together. Without trees to slow
down and suck up the rain, the water washes soil
into rivers. This can cause flooding. Eventually, the whole area

(24:24):
becomes drier, so farmers find it harder to grow crops. Pollution, cars,
factories and power plants, and far away cities can harm trees.
They give off smoke and fumes that drift on the
wind to pollute distant forests. The pollution makes trees drop
their leaves, so they get sick and eventually dyeing. Helping trees,

(24:48):
trees deserve our love and care. After all, they do
a lot to keep our world healthy and turn in
sup to all of us. Take better care of the
world's trees. We can use, recycle paper, or or even
plant a new tree. Plant a new tree, make space
in your garden, park or other green space for a
brand new tree. Buy a young tree, a sapling and

(25:11):
make a home for it to grow. Dig a deep
hole in the ground. Make sure the hole is twice
as wide as the roots of the tree and the
same depth. Different trees like different soil, but most like loose,
moist ground where the roots can grow. Plant a sapling
that you have bought from a plant to nurse tree.
Put a piece of wood across the soil around the

(25:33):
top of the tree's roots. This will show you where
the roots come up to. They should be just on
your own level. Fill the shovel earth into the home,
making sure it is not packed into tightly. The sapling's
roots should be completely covered, but with room to grow.
Tie the tree to a stake to help it stand

(25:55):
up in the wind. Water your tree to give it
the best chance to grow, Remove any weeds around it,
and keep an eye out for pest. In two to
three years, you'll be able to remove the steak and
your tree will stand proud on its own. Some forests,
such as natural parks and reserves, are protected. Workers called

(26:16):
foresters look after the trees and plant ones when needed.
National and state trees different species of trees thrive in
different parts of the world. People grow to love the
trees they see around them as they grow up. Over time,
a particular tree can become connected with the region. Many
of the world's people love one tree so much that

(26:38):
they wanted to represent them and have made it their
national or state tree. This concludes the children's story ire
for today. Please join us next time as we will
read more stories, fables and fairy tales. Thank you for
listening and please stay tuned for the Lexton Hair Leader
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