And for those with sensitive skin, an environmental conscience, or both, "tree free" toilet paper made from cotton linters is now available.

NPR: Texas Cotton: 'Farmer Profits at Every Step'

The rich, tree-free prairie soil was great for farming, but lumber had to be imported for houses and barns.

FORBES: Wisconsin Republicans Attack a Brilliant UW Historian

In many areas local utility companies will even cut back your wayward tree branches free of charge if they sit too close to electrical lines.

FORBES: As Hurricane Isaac Threatens Gulf Coast, Last-Minute Ways To Disaster-Proof Your Home

Modern tree houses present a rare opportunity to drive past the McResort and break free of travel's predicable stops and well-traveled routes.

CNN: 7 deluxe tree-house hotels

Ginkgo, made from the nuts and leaves of a tree, is a rich source of antioxidants - substances which it is thought can neutralise free radicals.

BBC: Ginkgo could reduce stroke damage