Because worldwide we
have lost much more quality in biodiversity than quantity in forest intensity!
The above image is
from Grace Catan, a psychology
graduate student of Ateneo De Manila University. The Pulitzer Center says (pulitzercenter.org):
“Over 80 stories.
Countless voices. One urgent mission.
“The Show Me Your
Tree campaign Philippine edition… What started as a call to share personal tree
stories grew into something far greater – a powerful movement of over 80
compelling narratives and breathtaking images that remind us just how vital
trees are to our environment, our safety, and our future.”
The winner was Grace Catan, “whose heartfelt story
emphasizes how trees are not just part of the environment but vital protectors
of human well-being, urging us to safeguard them as fiercely as they protect
us.”
Trees. In the
Philippines, half a century ago, in 1972, I distinctly remember our dear Secretary of Agriculture & Natural
Resoources (DENR) Arturo Tanco
was already publicly decrying the biodiversity loss of our forest resources.
How do I know? In 1975,
I became the Information Editor of
the Forest Research Institute
(FORI), based at UPLB campus, and went on to launch and become The Editor In Chief of the FORI monthly Canopy, quarterly technical journal Sylvatrop, and quarterly color magazine Habitat.
I was with FORI
until 1980. No Internet yet, so the gathering of data & information for
publications was reading at the library, as well as asking questions from
foresters in Los Baños and in Quezon City (DENR and Bureau of Forestry). And: In
my journalistic location trips to gather information materials for Canopy and Habitat, I saw for myself the state of forest/ry in my
country! Poor.
Despite the preventive
labors of foresters of the Bureau
of Forestry (now the Forest Management Bureau), the
Philippines has lost and/or degraded hundreds of thousands of hectares of
forestlands. Natural resources unrestored, wasted unnecessarily.
I am convinced
that we Filipinos can prevent further such losses if we initially acknowledge
the value of such forests in terms not only of trees good as logs but of
biodiversity itself –
“Variety is the species of life!” I say.
To proceed from where we men left off, l recommend
that we transform the Forest Management
Bureau into the Forest Enrichment
Bureau and stop all logging at once until further notice!
Licenses for logging in any and all areas of the
archipelago will then be confiscated and the areas turned back to authentic forestlands.
Careful now!
Before undertaking
that gargantuan task, I believe all of FMB should be reeducated when it comes
to forest resources.@517
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