Position Paper

“Deforestation”

-The continues cutting down of numerous trees should be prohibited

because of the risks it poses to the environment.-

Outlining

Title: Stop Deforestation

Thesis Statement: The continues cutting down of numerous trees should be prohibited

because of the risks it poses to the environment

I. Introduction

A. Deforestation pertains to the cutting, clearing, and removal of a rainforest. Deforestation

also refers to the illegal cutting of trees intentionally or natural factors like wildfire. It is

one of the environmental issues in the world even in the Philippines (Kricher 1997).

B. Thesis: The continues cutting down of numerous trees should be prohibited because of the

risks it poses to the environment

II. Review of Related Literature and Studies

A. The Philippines is one of the most severely deforested countries in the tropics and most
deforestation has happened in the last 40 years. Estimates place forest cover in the
Philippines in the year 1900 at 21 million hectares, covering 70 % of the total land area.
By 1999, forests covered 5.5 million hectares; only 800,000 hectares of this was primary
forest. In 2003, the country’s forests comprised 7.2 million hectares. But in 2010, forest
cover went down by 4.6 percent or about 6.8 million hectares. As illegal logging
continues, the remaining forest is endangered. The remaining trees may not be enough for
the forest. If they are cutting down trees, they should at least replace those with new ones
by planting (Walpole 2011).
 B. Public forests and forest reserves are important natural resources of the country which

must be preserved and conserved for future generations.

III. Counter Claims

A. Deforestation serves as a source of income for them as they cut down trees to sell and be

made into various products.

B. Deforestation results to availability of trees that can be made into timber and be used for

construction. other parts of the trees have numerous uses such as sap used to become

paper, toothpick, tissue, food, and among others.

IV. Arguments

A. Increased Greenhouse Gases. The decrease of trees also gives way to more greenhouse

gases released into the air.

B. Soil coastal flooding and erosion. Tress which provides the rich nutrients to sustain

additional forest life, and it function to retain water and topsoil. Without them, the soil

will corrode and wash out, that can cause to all farmers to move on and perpetuate the

cycle.

V. Conclusion

A. Importance of Forests

B. Information about Deforestation affecting Living things in earth.

C. Information about Humans in taking care of nature

D. Encouragement for People to Stop Deforestation.

The continuous cutting down of trees should be prohibited because of the risks it poses to the

environment.

Deforestation is a big threat to our environment. The decreasing number of trees will

have a big impact on our society. Trees are one of the most important organisms because it gives

us numerous benefits. For example, trees provide oxygen and foods. Trees also provide woods

used in building houses and other infrastructure. As time goes by, it is becoming noticed that

trees are slowly disappearing and of the reason why these phenomenas existed is because of

deforestation.

According to Kricher (1997) deforestation pertains to the cutting, clearing, and removal

of a rainforest. Deforestation also refers to the illegal cutting of trees intentionally or natural

factors like wildfire. It is one of the environmental issues in the world even in the Philippines.

Our country has striking forests that will be considered as a treasure for Filipinos. However,

some factors like the build-up of population and modernization threaten the spectacular forests

we treasure.
 We are not in favor of deforestation because it poses a lot of risks in the environment. It

should be prohibited and we should think of alternatives or other ways to get resources that the

trees produces.

Review of Related Literature

Deforestation, or the removal of forests, is a major problem that has devastating effects

all over the world. Europeans began clearing forests more than 500 years ago. The invention of

modern machinery made the process even easier. By the end of the 19th century, most of the

deciduous forest of North America, Australia and New Zealand had been cleared. In the 21st

century, tropical forests are being cut and burned at alarming rates in South America and

Southeast Asia. Asia as a whole has already lost about 90 percent of its forests. With forest

resources--"the lungs of the Earth"-- under attack in many regions, some have raised concerns

about the planet's oxygen supply (Priyadarshi, 2010).

Walpole (2011) stated that the Philippines is one of the most severely deforested

countries in the tropics and most deforestation has happened in the last 40 years. Estimates place

forest cover in the Philippines in the year 1900 at 21 million hectares, covering 70 % of the total

land area. By 1999, forests covered 5.5 million hectares; only 800,000 hectares of this was

primary forest. In 2003, the country’s forests comprised 7.2 million hectares. But in 2010, forest

cover went down by 4.6 percent or about 6.8 million hectares. As illegal logging continues, the
remaining forest is endangered. The remaining trees may not be enough for the forest. If they are

cutting down trees, they should at least replace those with new ones by planting.

Palawan, the largest province in the Philippines in terms of land area of 1,498,626, has

the biggest forest cover in the country. Second is Isabela, with 1,066,456. Third is Cagayan, with

904,026. Fourth is Agusan Del Sur with 896,550. Fifth is Quezon with 870,660 etc. Haribon

Foundation forester Thaddeus Martinez said the country needs fifty four percent of forest cover

to protect against landslides and ensure water availability from watersheds (Cabico, 2018).

One of the main factors of deforestation is Illegal Logging. The term Illegal Logging is

used to refer to timber harvesting-related activities that are inconsistent with national (or sub-

national) laws. Illegal and corrupt activities in the forest sector can span the entire industry from

wood harvesting and transport, to industrial processing and trade. Illegal cutting includes logging

inside protected areas or outside concession areas. Logging within allocated concessions can be

illegal if it does not conform to the law. For example, cutting restricted species, or over the

allowable limit, or before the concession or license is active, constitutes an illegal act. Other

types of illegal activities include under-reporting the amount cut, false reporting of the species

harvested to avoid higher taxes, the illegal transport of timber, and the poaching of wildlife in

areas opened up by timber-cutting. Corruption can occur at many levels, from the issuance of

licensees and concessions to local law enforcement (Smith 2002).

There is a law regarding illegal logging, which is the Presidential Decree no. 330.

Penalizing timber smuggling or illegal cutting of logs from public forests and forest reserves as

qualified theft. Whereas, public forests and forest reserves are important natural resources of the

country which must be preserved and conserved for future generations. Section 1. Any person,
whether natural or juridical, who directly or indirectly cuts, gathers, removes, or smuggles

timber, or other forest products, either from any of the public forest, forest reserves and other

kinds of public forests, whether under license or lease, or from any privately owned forest lands

in violation of existing laws, rules and regulation shall be guilty of the crime of qualified theft as

defined and penalized under Articles 308, 309 and 310 of the Revised Penal Code; Provided,

That if the offender is a corporation, firm, partnership or association, the penalty shall be

imposed upon the guilty officer or officers, as the case may be, of the corporation, firm,

partnership or association, and if such guilty officer or officers are aliens, in addition to the

penalty herein prescribed, he or they shall be deported without further proceedings on the part of

the Commissioned of Immigration and Deportation.

Haribon (2018) stated that the law must then be strictly enforced and permits that allow

continued cutting of trees must be stopped. Support Forest Resources Bill (FRB) so that people

can have a sustainable way of managing the forests. Among the many concepts of deforestation,

one of the hardest to overcome is restoration of lost forests. Just like most renewable resources,

forests take time to grow and replenish. Trees are being cut down quicker, faster than they are

being restored. Studies showed that most get more than the earth can put back.

Forests, a major source of oxygen to our atmosphere, are very important to the world’s

climate because they help in rain formation and absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. As

the forests disappear, the weather will change, and some places will dry up. The forests are

stripped faster than they can be replanted, and when severely depleted, photosynthesis is greatly

reduced. No photosynthesis, no oxygen. No oxygen, no life. But deforestation continues at a

break neck speed in many areas of the world. According to other report, analysis of the air in

various parts of the world today reveals the frightening fact that the oxygen content continues to
decline. In fact in some of the larger and therefore more polluted cities the oxygen levels have

been measured at a disturbing level of 12 to 15%. Scientists claim that anything under 7%

oxygen content in the air is too low to support human life, even for short periods. Today it is well

known that the average content of the oxygen in air is only 19% to 21% (Priyadarshi, 2010).

Meanwhile, amazon, a forest in Brazil, is considered as one of the richest forests in the

whole world but deforestation is still prevalent in that forest but didn’t take any actions with

regards on that issue. On the research conducted by Gabrielle Ferreira Pires and Marcos Heil

Costa, they stated that deforestation in Amazon can affect the climate of the region. The

precipitation effects and the sub-regional effects of deforestation were separately conducted on

that research to be very helpful. (Pires & Costa, 2013).

Likewise, woods are important in our daily living. As stated in the research conducted by Page,

Werf, Morton, and Pereira, that the forest of the Amazon is lesser usable compared to the woods

used by other countries in the world, therefore, there is no reason to wipe it off (Page, Werf,

Morton, & Pereira, 2010).

Furthermore, with regards to seasons in Amazon such as rainy seasons, stated that rainy season

in Amazon decreased and evapotranspiration also decreases which means, it will cause more

rains. It also stated that reforestation in Amazon will only happen if deforestation will stop (Sud,

Yang, & Walker, 1996).

Counter Claims

People whose livelihoods depend on the rainforest relies on deforestation. It serves as a

source of income for them as they cut down trees to sell and be made into various products.

Trees from the rainforests are made into construction and building materials to build houses for
people to live in. However, wood construction includes vulnerability to water damage, fire,

decay, and termites. Therefore, using wood is a less environmentally sustainable choice than

green building materials such as composite lumber or recycled steel.

It offers more job opportunities. To make clearing of the forest possible, man power is

needed. This does not only include engineers but also skilled workers who are given the chance

to earn and provide for their families. Also, those who convert some parts of the forest and

convert them to farm lands become agriculturists and entrepreneurs. People who invest money to

create theme parks or tourist attractions employ workers to build and operate their businesses.

Correspondingly, cutting down trees can be a source of materials. Deforestation results to

availability of trees that can be made into timber and be used for construction. Aside from this,

other parts of the trees have numerous uses such as sap used to become paper, toothpick, tissue

and food, among others.

Moreover, deforesting makes expansion possible by transforming the forests into paved

roads to transport goods and commodities to other places and meet the demands of consumers.

Also, it can be used by industries for different kind of businesses such as infrastructure and

theme parks. Although this may be true, there are still other ways to transport goods and other

business related purposes. One example is by sea, if one wants a cheap way to transport large

volumes of goods. This method maybe slower and not as flexible as other methods but it will

surely save a lot of trees in the process.

Arguments

Environmental Effects of Deforestation From Above

Increased Greenhouse Gases

Presently, South America’s tropical rainforests are responsible for 20% of Earth’s oxygen and

they are rapidly disappearing at a rate of 4 hectares a decade. If these rates are not stopped or just

slowed down and reversed, the consequences of it will become more severe.

Water in the Atmosphere

The trees also help control the amount of water in the atmosphere by helping to regulate

the water cycle. With the small amount of trees left, due to deforestation, there is less water in

the air to be returned to the soil. In turn, this causes dryer soil and the inability to grow crops.

Carbon Dioxide

As part of natural metabolic processes, all plant life absorbs carbon dioxide and releases

oxygen. Forests are also the same, the trees and other plant life in a forest can take in and store

carbon dioxide, which is called carbon sequestration. When one cuts down a tree, he removes the

ability of the forest to sequester carbon dioxide.

Sunlight Reflection

Deforestation causes land to reflect more sunlight. Forests absorb more sunlight than

others. When sunlight is not absorbed, it is reflected back to the atmosphere. Changing the air

currents above and increasing the change of local temperatures. The Earth's surface reflects and

absorbs different proportions of the sunlight it receives.

Wind Effects

Deforestation eliminates the ability of forests to act as a barricade for the wind, leading to

higher wind speeds and taking away the circulation of warmth and moisture. Forests act as walls

that slow down wind movements, due to the friction between the moving air and the forest's
multiple layers of plant life. Simultaneously, the wind flowing through a forest carries away the

warm, moist air to other parts of the earth.

Evapotranspiration Cycles

Plant life takes water from water in the soil. Evapotranspiration is when water travels up

the roots and stem to the leaves, where it evaporates through the stoma. Plants transfer

groundwater into the atmosphere, bringing moisture to the environment. Deforestation ends this

process, leaving the groundwater locked in the soil and cutting off the source of air moisture.

This results to the local environment becoming dryer.

Environmental Effects of Deforestation From Below

Soil Erosion and Flooding

the rich nutrients to sustain additional forest life, and it function to retain water and topsoil.

Without them, the soil corrodes and wash out, that can cause to all farmers to move on and

perpetuate the cycle.

“Coastal vegetation will lessen the impact of waves and winds associated with a storm surge.

Without this coastal vegetation, coastal villages are susceptible to damaging floods.”

Loss of species
There are 70% of the world’s plants and animals live in forests and most of them are

losing their habitats to deforestation. Also, deforestation has negative consequences for

medicinal plants research and local populations, they rely it on plants and animals in the forests

for hunting and medicine. Loss of habitat can lead to species annihilation.

Water cycle
 Trees are very important to the water cycle. They absorb rain fall and also produce water

vapor that is being released into the atmosphere. Trees can also lessen the pollution in water.

And more than a half of the water in the ecosystem is held within the plants.

Life quality
Soil erosion can also lead to blocking the lakes, streams and other water sources. The

local water quality will decrease and it will contribute to poor health in the populations in the

area.

Many native tribes are live in the rainforests of the world, and their destruction will also the

destruction of these people’s homes and the way of life they are living.

Disadvantages of Deforestation

Trees are important to animals especially birds because it is their habitat and with the

continuous cutting down of trees, birds and other animals will have nowhere to go and the

extinction of these animals will unfold in the near future.

Natural disasters like typhoon happen unexpectedly and with a lesser tree, the fall of

water coming from the mountain will slow down and no tress will absorb the water as well. With

this phenomena, it will result to floods and overflowing rivers that will lead to loss of property or

lives. With the decreasing number of tress, there will also have a decrease in oxygen in the air

and with this case it will causes green house gases to build up.

Proper and best practices of the method in cutting trees do not follow by some people

who are in deforestation. When we cut trees make sure you will also plant a new ones to replace

it but in some cases they do not follow it that will results in limited sources of wood on the

future.
 Herbal medicines are helpful to people who can’t afford expensive medicine and with

deforestation, trees and plants that can be used as an alternative medicines will be affected.

If deforestation will continue, there will no forests will left in the world. It will have a

bad effect one of this is soil erosion. Trees keep the soil not to damaged. For instance, there is

body of water near forest this can cause flooding. If there are no trees, it will also affect the water

cycle. Without trees, this can lead to drought. The water extracted of trees from the soil will

release it to the atmosphere. This will trap precipitation. If there are no trees to transpire water,

the soil will dry up.

Lastly, deforestation will result to unfavorable effects such as global climate change and

biodiversity extinction. If this practice will continue, then it will lead us to an empty and

meaningless world. If the plants and animals will extinct then it will lead to partial loss of human

life.

Conclusion

Forests is one of the essential thing, and it's need by everyone, It gives one of the biggest

contribution in earth, and everyone is the beneficiaries of this precious forest. Forest gives us

materials in making different products, they provide necessities universally for the continuation

of human society, but after all giving human such a biggest benefits just to change our society,

human still do a disservice, abuse and extravagance to the nature. Given this situation therefore,

it cannot avoid that human discover procedural techinques that uses machineries to manage the

forest faster and easier for all the benefits it can provide, in a maintainable manner.

Deforestation is a Loss of forest resources and affects the entire planet. Given this, numerous

agencies become fundamentally important in order to minimise and resolve the environmental
issues. Aside from this, Governments also work more closely in order to resolve the issues facing

the forests, and a unanimous decision of every countries must be in. Humans and other living

things in the world are now facing the reality that everyone needs an resources that produce by

forest, and deforestation is one of the biggest cause in environmenta issues that human are facing

now. In, stopping deforestation, we may secure the maintainability of forest for the generations

that are to follow.

Deforestation is emerging as the most important environmental and social issue. Deforestation is

bothering the health of human being and Deforestation is affecting both above and below

atmosphere , and almost of negative effect are slowly happening in earth. Deforestation gives a

temporary benefits and gives and a long-term effects and disadvantages in human-being.

Deforestation exist in order to run the life in better way.

Humans wants to have a better life but we can still achieve it without destroying the forest,

without doing a deforestation. Humans are the primary in-charge in taking care of the

environment but still people use nature in having a luxurious life which is defenitely wrong,

People have the mind, responsibility and prediction on our nature but still do not care for it.

Deforestation not only destory nature but it is also destory living things in earth, cutting down

trees is more likely cutting down our safety and resources, Deforestation should be prohibited

and no doubt for it, it gives harm, it gives calamities. Stopping Deforestation should be prioritize

before its end, people who involve in destroying nature should be discharge. There are many

ways to earn money, human should choose a job who doesn't affect the nature.
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