What happens if you cut down all of a city's trees? - Stefan Al

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

This is the tale of two ancient cities

這是有關兩座古老城市的故事

and the trees that determined their destinies.

以及決定都市命運的樹林。

In 3,000 BC Uruk was more densely populated than modern day New York City.

西元前 3000 年，

烏魯克的人口密度 比現代的紐約市還要高。

This crowded capital had to continually expand their irrigation system

這擁擠的首都必須 不斷擴展其灌溉系統，

to feed its growing population.

以供應日益增長的人口。

2,500 years later in Sri Lanka, the city of Anuradhapura had a similar problem.

2500 年後，

斯里蘭卡的城市

阿努拉德普勒也有類似的問題。

They were also growing constantly,

他們的人口也不斷在成長，

and like Uruk, their city relied heavily on an elaborate irrigation system.

就像烏魯克，他們的城市

也非常仰賴精心設計的灌溉系統。

As Uruk grew, its farmers began chopping down trees to make space for more crops.

隨著烏魯克的擴展，

它的農民開始砍伐樹木

以便種植更多的農作物。

In Anuradhapura, however, trees were sacred.

然而，在阿努拉德普勒， 樹木是神聖的。

Their city housed an offshoot of the Bodhi tree

因城市中種有一棵菩提樹，

under which Buddha himself was said to have attained enlightenment.

據說是來自佛陀悟道處的 菩提樹扦插而來。

Religious reverence slowed farmer’s axes

宗教的敬畏減緩了農民的砍伐，

and even led the city to plant additional trees in urban parks.

甚至讓該城市在都市公園 種植更多的樹木。

Initially, Uruk’s expansion worked well.

一開始，烏魯克的擴展很順利。

But without trees to filter their water supply,

但沒有樹木來過濾他們的供水系統，

Uruk’s irrigation system became contaminated.

烏魯克的灌溉系統受到了污染。

Evaporating water left mineral deposits,

水蒸發後所留下的礦物質，

which rendered the soil too salty for agriculture.

讓土壤變得太鹹無法供農業使用。

Conversely, Anuradhapura’s irrigation system was designed to work

相反的，阿努拉德普勒的 灌溉系統在設計上

in concert with the surrounding forest.

就是要與周遭的森林共存。

Their city eventually grew to more than twice Uruk’s population,

最終，這個城市的人口 成長到烏魯克的兩倍，

and today, Anuradhapura still cares for a tree planted over 2,000 years ago.

現今，阿努拉德普勒仍然在照料

一棵至少 2000 年前種植的樹木。

We may think of nature as being unconnected to our urban spaces,

我們可能認為大自然 和我們的都市空間沒有關聯，

but trees have always been an essential part of successful cities.

但成功的城市和樹木 向來脫不了關係。

Trees act like a natural sponge, absorbing storm water runoff

樹木的功能就像天然的海綿，

能吸收暴風雨帶來的逕流，

before releasing it back into the atmosphere.

接著再將它釋回到大氣中。

The webs of their roots protect against mudslides

樹根形成的網絡能抵抗山崩，

while allowing soil to retain water and filter out toxins.

同時能讓土壤保存水份 及過濾掉有毒物質。

Roots help prevent floods,

樹根能協助預防洪水，

while reducing the need for storm drains and water treatment plants.

且能減少對暴風雨排水設備 及污水處理廠的需求。

Their porous leaves purify the air by trapping carbon and other pollutants,

透氣的樹葉能捕捉到碳 及其他污染物質，讓空氣淨化，

making them essential in the fight against climate change.

在對抗氣候變遷的戰爭中， 它們便扮演重要的角色。

Humanity has been uncovering these arboreal benefits for centuries.

數世紀以來，人類一直 在發掘樹木有哪些益處。

But trees aren’t just crucial to the health of a city’s infrastructure;

但樹木不僅會影響 城市基礎設施的健康；

they play a vital role in the health of its citizens as well.

對於城市市民的健康也有重要影響。

In the 1870’s, Manhattan had few trees outside the island’s parks.

1870 年代，曼哈頓島上 在公園以外的地方很少有樹木。

Without trees to provide shade,

沒有樹木提供樹蔭，

buildings absorbed up to nine times more solar radiation

在致命的夏日熱浪時期，

建築物吸收的太陽輻射高達九倍。

during deadly summer heat waves.

Combined with the period’s poor sanitation standards,

再加上那段期間的 衛生標準也很低落，

the oppressive heat made the city a breeding ground for bacteria like cholera.

壓迫性的高溫讓該城市成為 細菌（如霍亂）的繁殖地。

In modern day Hong Kong, tall skyscrapers and underground infrastructure

在現代的香港，摩天大樓

和地下基礎建設讓樹木很難生長。

make it difficult for trees to grow.

This contributes to the city’s dangerously poor air quality,

導致該城市的空氣品質 低落到危險的程度，

which can cause bronchitis and diminished lung function.

可能會造成支氣管炎 和肺功能變差。

Trees affect our mental health as well.

樹木也會影響我們的心理健康。

Research indicates that the presence of green foliage increases attention spans

研究指出，綠色樹葉的存在可以

延長注意力的持續時間並減少壓力。

and decreases stress levels.

It’s even been shown that hospital patients with views of brick walls

甚至有人發現，在醫院， 如果病人窗外的景色是磚牆，

recover more slowly than those with views of trees.

恢復的速度會比窗外是樹木更慢。

Fortunately, many cities are full of views like this—

幸運的是，許多城市 都有像這樣的景色——

and that’s no accident.

且這並非巧合。

As early as the 18th century,

早在十八世紀時，

city planners began to embrace the importance of urban trees.

城市規劃者開始接受 都市種樹的重要性。

In 1733, Colonel James Oglethorpe planned the city of Savannah, Georgia

1733 年，

詹姆士·奧格爾索普上校 針對喬治亞州的薩凡納做規劃，

to ensure that no neighborhood was more than a 2-minute walk from a park.

確保每個街坊在步行 兩分鐘的距離內都有公園。

After World War II, Copenhagen directed all new development along five arteries—

在二次大戰後，哥本哈根

沿著五條幹道進行全新的開發——

each sandwiched between a park.

每條幹道都被公園包夾。

This layout increased the city’s resilience

這種安排方式增加了該城市 在面對污染和天然災害時的恢復力。

to pollution and natural disasters.

And urban trees don’t just benefit people.

在都市種樹不僅對人有益，

Portland’s Forest Park preserves the region’s natural biodiversity,

波特蘭的森林公園保存了 該地區的天然生物多樣性，

making the city home to various local plants,

讓該城市成為許多當地植物、 一百一十二種鳥類，

112 bird species, and 62 species of mammals.

及六十二種哺乳類動物的家。

No city is more committed to trees than Singapore.

對樹木最不遺餘力的城市 非新加坡莫屬。

Since 1967, Singapore’s government has planted over 1.2 million trees,

1967 年至今，

新加坡政府已經種植了 一百二十萬棵樹，

including those within 50-meter tall vertical gardens called supertrees.

包括超級樹木，即種植在 五十公尺高垂直花園中的樹木。

These structures sustain themselves and nearby conservatories

這些建物自己本身就能自給自足，

還能將太陽能和收集到的雨水 供應給附近的溫室。

with solar energy and collected rainwater.

Trees and vegetation currently cover over 50% of Singapore’s landmass,

目前新加坡超過 50% 的地面 被樹木和植被所覆蓋，

reducing the need for air conditioning

減少空調的需求，

and encouraging low-pollution transportation.

並鼓勵低污染的交通。

By 2050, it’s estimated that over 65% of the world will be living in cities.

估計到 2050 年時，

全世界 65% 以上的人 會住在城市中。

City planners can lay an eco-friendly foundation,

城市規劃者可以建立環保的基礎，

but it’s up to the people who live in these urban forests

但還是取決於住在 這些都市森林中的人，

to make them homes for more than humans.

將城市變成不只是人類的家。