Sound waves happen. physics says yes, the tree makes waves which are sound. If you look at sound as a perceptual matter though, then no.I think he is trying to differentiate sound from noise.
Sound is a fact, it is there or it is not.
Noise is a a subjective term.....or so I tried to argue with dear old dad about the tunes on the turntable.
In other words, sound happens (fact) but does it matter (interpretation)? Would guess it helps the people discussing these things to agree to common definitions.