Stop Deforestation

Do you know that ecologists’ research says, it takes more than 100 years for just 2.5 centimeters of soil to be formed, in tropical climate? In some climates, it may take hundreds of thousands of years to form 10 centimeters of soil?

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Unfortunately, forests are being cleared by several human activities just to meet the demands of expanding human population in most parts of the world. The invention of modern machineries further facilitated the clearance of our forests much more rapidly than they can be replaced naturally.

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Therefore, as a consequence, clearance of our forests leads to major ecological troubles which include the soil erosion, desertification flooding and mudslides and loss of biodiversity as well as wildlife extinction.

· Soil erosion. When you were in your elementary years, you were taught that trees uphold our soil and absorb water during heavy rains. Trees release water gradually to the soil beneath and to the nearby streams and lakes. Our forest trees which are also composed of bigger trunks and roots likewise shield the soil against erosion. However, at times when soil is exposed directly to the impact of falling rain, heavy rains could wash out the precious topsoil resulting to soil erosion.

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· Flooding and mudslides. In the cities, garbage finds its way into creeks, river systems and gateways leading to city flooding even during slight rains. Even, the natural river gateways have also been blocked illegally just to give way for the construction of more buildings and roads. Furthermore, in areas near the rivers, the opening of dams raises the water level much higher than the holding capacity of the remaining trees nearby the vicinity. Most of the time, the eroded soil called silt, may be deposited in rivers and streams and obstruct the flow of water. In the absence of trees, rainwater is not retained. This causes the ascending of the water level to flow, causing floods in adjacent municipalities. In worldwide, worst scenarios, such as mudslides have been reported in which the Philippines is not spared from it.

· Desertification. Water quickly evaporates from the soil due to the exposure of the soil to the rain, wind and the scorching heat of the sun. For this reason, the soil hardens. With the topsoil eroded, many plants will die and animals which rely on these plants will also disappear. Moreover, overgrazing of animals, also reduce the vegetation in the area. This broadens the deserted area as the graze moves on to more fertile lands. The once-fertile area becomes a barren or unproductive land. Thus, this kind of destruction to land leading to desert-like conditions called as desertification.

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· Loss of biodiversity and wildlife extinction. There are millions of species of living things that are shared in our planet Earth. This wide variety of life is called biological diversity or biodiversity. In its broadest sense, biodiversity is virtually synonymous with “life on Earth.” Perhaps, the ANE (Asia and Near East) is the most bio-diverse area on Earth. Do you know that almost 80 percent of the world’s endangered species and two-thirds of the world’s coral reefs are found at ANE. Unfortunately, the wide variety of life on Earth has been diminished by several human activities at a global range. The loss and degradation of species habitat are the utmost threat to the Earth’s biodiversity. At present, research reveals that the region has already lost 90 percent of its frontier forests; countries in the region have also lost 70 to 90 percent of their original wildlife habitats while forest loss has speed up. As part of this precious environment is lost day by day, countless of animals are facing extinction or death faster than they can be identified by man. Even plant species are dying before they can be tested for possible cure to deadly diseases we confront nowadays.

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