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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. There
have been some effective actions undertaken mostly by the NGOs. It
is doubtful if it will put a dent against the destructive forces
now in place and deeply entrenched. The only way to stop the greedy
scums is to legislate stiffer laws against illegal poaching and
even wanton destruction of forestlands by licensed loggers and
impose on them the ultimate death penalty and carry it out without
delay. It is often the fear of death that can force a greedy person
to act rationally. In this book I have tried to set down the many
causes of deforestation, the consequences of what will happen if we
fail to act to protect the trees and enact measures to minimize the
problems.
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