An Environmentalist, Mr Gafar Odubote, has harped on the healing and therapeutic benefits of tree planting to curb diseases.
Odubote, the Global Head of Social Media at Let’s Do It World (LDIW) an environmental NGO, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
The expert said that from the historical background, trees had been known to provide health benefits.
“Trees do not only provide us oxygen, preserve the soil and beautify our environment, they also aid the cure of diseases and the improvement of our health.
“The use of trees in curing diseases and improving people’s health is the foundation of modern-day medicine.
“Researchers are using compounds extracted from trees in developing drugs.
“For example, the bark of trees, their leaves, fruits, seeds and roots contain natural compounds that are organic in fighting diseases.
“We use neem (Dogo Yaro) leaves, olive oil, walnuts, birches, mango barks and others to cure certain illnesses,’’ the expert said.
Odubote also said that deforestation activities across the world had been linked to the emergence of disease outbreaks among mankind.
“Tree planting improves aeration and no significant research has shown that trees can substantially avert airborne diseases.
“However, I will like us to look at how lack of forests (deforestation) is escalating diseases.’’
He quoted some Harvard scientists as saying that deforestation is causing a lot of disease outbreaks in the world.
“People disturbing the ecosystem balance are unleashing some diseases which are normally contained by forests.
“Throughout human history, pathogens have emerged from forests.
“For example, Ebola virus from DRC, Zika virus from Zika forest of Uganda, yellow fever and some malaria-carrying mosquitoes are from tropical forests.
“What scientists are saying is that, once those forests are cleared either for agriculture or other human-induced methods, it activates a complex chain of ecological changes that makes those diseases come to the land.
“Forests create shades and absorb excess water; once they are gone, it creates swampy areas that are conducive for mosquito breeding.
“People need to understand the importance of tree planting and see it as a necessity.
“There should be a sustainable plan to ensure that trees survive,’’ Odubote said. (NAN)
