Our Life-Blood

The forest is an integral part of the earth’s ecosystem and holds great responsibility in the maintenance of its balance. It has long been a resource that is of great significance to man and his proliferation on earth. The forest has been, and continues to be, one of man’s sources of food – be it plant materials or meat; natural products that may be used as dyes, flavorings, fragrances, stimulants, hallucinogens, insecticides, poisons, and as therapeutic agents; raw material for paper manufacture; and mostly, a source of lumber for his shelter.

Nowadays, with the world and its inhabitants being threatened by climate change, the forest’s (specifically, trees’ and other floras’) ecological role enters. It is a fact that where vegetation is lush, it can convert large amount of carbon dioxide (one of the most prominent of the greenhouse gases) into oxygen, and thus tagged as the “lungs of the earth”. It also houses wide arrays of flora and fauna that are either endemic and/or diverse, which are there for the pleasure and “disposal” of mankind. Also, it is valued for their capacity to regulate water vapor, control drought, erosion, and flooding, and the recycling of nutrients as well.

And yet through all of these blessings bestowed by the forests upon man, he exploits this resource with utmost carelessness and an unbelievable ignorance of what his actions may result to. He dares to cut trees extensively, again for his benefits – to meet the demands for lumber, raw material for paper, and to plant crops that are basal to his diet. With these, man depletes and destroys not only the forests but also leaves its residents bereft of their habitats, displacing them to places that are deficient in food and suitable shelter, and may eventually lead to their death. This distracts the stability and equity of the entire ecosystem, causing imbalance. This imbalance may lead to an undesirable and potentially perilous change – a change that more or less will lead to the annihilation of man and the death of all life forms on the earth.

To facilitate and rescue the rapidly diminishing forest cover, man should conduct activities that will augment the restoration and expansion of the previously cut and lost trees. Man should rather conduct tree growing activities instead of tree planting. He should be able to replace the cut trees with a seedling/sapling (preferably of the same species) right after logging. He must be aware and be able to share this awareness to other people. Lawmakers should pass laws that are more environment-friendly and that are more inclined to the conservation and protection of our environment. To sum it up, he must be sensitive enough of his actions and be held accountable of every problem his actions may and will inflict.

Sadly, though there are measures and advocacies done to conserve and protect our forest, it seems insufficient and inefficient. Perhaps, it is because man’s interests goes in conflict with these measures. The laws are there but either the gravity of the penalties is inconsequential or its implementation is inept.

But even through all of these, I believe that there is still hope for our forest. I am still positive of what man can do, especially when the need arises. I trust that a man makes a difference; in fact, only a man can make a difference! I still believe that he will be able to reverse the adverse effects of his deeds. And that his help, with an alliance to the forests’ capacity to mend itself, together, they will flourish and stand tall.