Dr. Sujane Kandasamy

Written by Dr. Sujane Kandasamy 

Co-founder of PEACH Health Ontario, Health Research Methodologist  & Public Health Researcher

Executive Director Mike Hurley presents Dr. Kandasamy with a certificate for a tree planted in her honour

Dr. Sujane Kandasamy is a co-founder of PEACH (Partnerships for Environmental Action by Clinicians and Communities for Healthcare Facilities), Health Ontario. The organization is part of Trees for Health, a coalition of passionate organizations partnering with health facilities, municipalities, and conservation authorities to plant trees to honour health workers across the province. Trees for Life is a supporter through its Trees for Heroes program. At a recent event where trees were planted to honour health heroes, we asked Dr. Kandasamy to say a few words about her passion and what PEACH is doing to advance tree planting on the grounds of health facilities. The following is the speech she shared.

One of my favorite famous quotes is, “Trees are the poems written by the earth upon the skies.” -Kahlil Gibran

Indeed, trees are the lungs of the world. Trees are the ultimate symbol of peace, serenity, standing rooted while achieving great heights, newness, wisdom, altruism, and of strength.

They are our friends, our protectors, and our saviors. 

With all that they encompass, it is such an honour to know they are being planted in honour and recognition of everyday healthcare heroes. The healthcare community is and continues to be truly warmed and inspired by this immense and inspiring act where a tree is planted in honour of a local hero. 

This is even more true because trees represent, and reflect our priorities as a neighbourhood, community, and society. And, while they are silent and stationary, they hold tremendous superpowers, including the power to improve our lives in wellness and health. 

First, as we all know, trees consume the greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Across their lifetime, they absorb carbon dioxide and store it in their trunks and limbs, helping to slow atmospheric buildup. In short, trees are working behind the scenes, looking out for us. 

Second, trees enhance our mental health while improving our physical health. Countless studies show that time in nature—like a slow walk through a tree-lined city park—is correlated with a drop in anxiety and depression and improvement in other physical benefits. 

Third, trees clean the air so we can breathe more easily. Trees remove the kind of air pollution that is most dangerous to our lungs and bodies: particulate matter. Particulate matter, a by-product of burning fossil fuels, can reach hazardous concentrations in large cities, and neighbourhoods that are close to industries, highways, and factories. More trees planted in urban spaces can even reduce cases of heart disease and conditions such as asthma. 

Fourth, trees are vital habitats for many species. In fact, old-growth forests create habitats on the ground and at the canopy. All these different habitats within a single area allow countless diverse species to thrive.

Fifth, trees help cool local temperatures and are especially important during times when thermometers are rising and heat waves are getting longer. Some neighbourhoods—e.g., those with more paved surfaces—feel the heat more than others, as much as 5-8 degrees warmer than surrounding areas. Calling upon trees to be the natural cooling systems for these neighbourhoods is a great idea! 

These are just some of the many benefits of trees. So next time you witness the sunlight filtering through their mighty branches, reflect for a moment on the important role that trees play in our lives. The vision of PEACH Health Ontario is to cultivate and sustain partnerships across the Ontario health system to support climate action. We've been co-developing toolkits and implementation guides to support action in different clinic and hospital settings and for different health professionals and specialists.

I'm pleased to walk on this journey with you all today and everyday. Thank you for doing this and for our health community. As the old Eastern proverb goes, “the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”