Deforestation

by Armando Ang

Mother Earth is undergoing an environmental upheaval as never seen
before. The unprecedented number of people bearing down on earth has
greatly affected the environment of our planet. Whether we are rich or
poor, developed or underdeveloped nations, we are all together for better
or for worse for the well-being of this planet.

Of all the problems besieging the planet, rampant deforestation is
probably the single most important problem we face today. The
ecological problems directly and indirectly connected with deforestation
are numerous and require immediate remedies. Global warming and loss
of biodiversity are two problems of universal ramification for mankind
that need to be resolved if mankind is to continue to exist for the next
thousand years.

After air, water, and food, trees are the most important natural resources
that mankind need. Otherwise, God would not have created trees in the
third day of the creation story in preparation for man’s beginnings and
existence. It is also one of the most important renewable resources that
will serve mankind for eons if we only learn to respect the role they play
in our lives. Since men first walked on the planet, he was surrounded by
trees with all their fruits and wildlife for his benefit. For centuries, it has
provided mankind with all the resources necessary for him to survive the
harsh climate. With so much of our forests lost to human needs and
greed, it is necessary for us to change the way we appreciate the
immense value of trees.

All the wealth of the nations around the world is found in their natural
resources. They could be the under the sea, under the sand, under the
forests and over the top of the land surfaces. Without these resources,
civilizations would not have advanced to this point in time. Except for
the food from the sea and the forests on the land, all the other natural
resources are considered non-renewable. Yet, at the rate we are exploiting
some of these resources they too would become non-renewable and even
extinct.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported in 2001 that “In
many countries, illegal operations proliferate and governments are
unable to control their own bureaucracies or to enforce adherence to the
‘rules of the game’ by commercial corporations and civil society entities.
In extreme circumstances, private corporations or powerful groups are
able to sway government policies and ‘purchase’ decrees, legislation and
regulations for their own benefit.”


Poverty has driven many to seek their fortunes in the forests. Some
practice slash-and-burn while others try to eke out their livelihood by
small-scale mining in the hope of striking it rich. But more often than
not, they end up with nothing to show but sufferings and ill-health for all
their efforts. The same is true for all the workers in the forestry sector.
They toil long hours under difficult hardship only to enrich the
concessionaires who stay in their air-conditioned offices in the cities.


The poor indigenous people have lost most of their livelihood and are
forced to turn to swidden cultivation to survive. As their ancestral lands
are taken over by greedy government bureaucrats and given away to
domestic and multinational companies, their only recourse was to fight a
losing battle.

346 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 15, 2006