When we think of bark on a tree, we tend to compare it to the skin of a human. 

Take a close look at both and you will find the similarities remarkable.    

The primary function of both bark and skin is to protect the material within and beneath it. 

In our Grade 7 science class, we learned that xylem and phloem, the pipes that bring water and sugars up and down, sit within the inner layers of bark. Without bark’s layers of protection, the tree would be vulnerable to weather, insects and moisture loss.   

Unlike skin, bark’s inner layer is made of living material, while the outer layer is quite dead. The tender inner bark is protected by the hard outer........

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