10/12/2026
Old Trees Do More Than Provide Shade... They Can Save Wildlife Lives. A new global study found that natural tree cavities, the hollows and holes found in mature trees, act like nature's air-conditioning and heating system. Researchers reviewed studies from around the world and discovered that these cavities stay several degrees cooler during hot weather and slightly warmer during cold weather. For birds, bats, squirrels, and other wildlife, that small temperature difference can be the difference between survival and death during extreme weather events.
This finding has important implications for Tennessee's urban forests. As our summers become hotter and weather becomes more unpredictable, mature trees with natural cavities provide critical refuge for wildlife in our cities, neighborhoods, parks, and greenways. While dead, dying, or hollow trees are sometimes viewed as liabilities, safe cavity-bearing trees can serve as essential wildlife habitat. Protecting large, older trees today helps ensure that future generations of wildlife will have the shelter they need tomorrow.
The next time you see an old oak, hickory, sycamore, or other mature Tennessee tree with a hollow, remember it may be serving as a life-saving home and climate shelter for wildlife. Our urban forests are doing much more than beautifying our communities. They're helping plants, animals, and people adapt to a changing climate.
This message brought to you by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. For more information, visit https://tufc.com/.
