A Position Paper on Deforestation
How do we define deforestation? Is it as simple as “the mass destruction of trees in the
forests”? Youmatter (2020) defined deforestation as the decrease in forest areas across the world
that are lost for other uses such as agricultural croplands, urbanization, or mining activities. The
continuous illegal cutting of trees greatly affects the ecosystems, biodiversity, and the climate.
Forests cover 30% of the world’s land area; however, the rapid vanishing of this certain
percentage is definitely alarming. It is justly the fault of us, human beings, on why we are facing
different calamities and unexpected changes in our atmosphere. Yes, there are occurrences of
natural disasters, but we cannot deny the fact that human activities somehow also affect them. The
changes that we are experiencing right now are all results of our various inconsiderate actions.
In the Philippines, due to the poverty and lack of available jobs, some Filipinos have turned
to invading the forests. Illegal logging, kaingin, and mining operations are just some of the causes
of deforestation in the country. These might be what they see as temporary solutions for hunger
but the consequences of such actions are without reparations. Flooding, which is the major result
of deforestation can kill many lives in just a snap of the finger. It can destroy properties and live
stocks.
This has been one of the threatening problems that the world is facing nowadays. Let us
wake up from apathy and negligence. It is time to take an action now if we want to preserve Mother
Earth’s resources for our future kids and grandchildren. Is this the kind of world or environment
you want them to live in? A place that is swiftly being ruined by people’s carelessness. I know that
your answer is no, so let us do something before it is too late. Together we can do so much!