Resolving Deforestation in the Philippines

Introduction

The Philippines is a country that highly depends on its natural resources. However, widespread logging is also a prevalent activity in the country. Moreover, the country’s historical management of forests that lacked protection on forest areas, has greatly contributed to the rate of deforestation. As a country that also started implementing approaches that aim towards the Sustainable Development Goals, it is important to adapt our practices in achieving further prosperity for the country. This deforestation in the Philippines essay analyses the current issue and approaches that can be beneficial sor solving the problem. 

Deforestation comes with serious and critical consequences to the country and the world. The historical record of deforestation in the Philippines has resulted in major concerns in our environment. Because of the effects of major loss of forestry in the past, the Philippine government and its people should be stricter in implementing environmental protection laws.

Abstract

Deforestation is one of the major issues in the Philippines. The country has experienced great changes in its biodiversity. In examining the root causes that drive the ongoing deforestation in the country, a better approach in recovering from the loss of the forest area is expected as an outcome. Especially, as the Philippines, along with its partnering countries, take part in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, protecting the life on and the forestry is an integral part of the country’s development. Providing a better approach to implementing laws and better planning on urban expansion and green spaces, will promote sustainable development.

The Main Discussion

Deforestation is a critical issue that concerns the current state of forest area in the Philippines. The rainforest of the Philippines was used to be the said to be the richest biodiversity in the world, but its forest cover was reduced to less than 10% compared to its original state over the years. Along with the loss of the country’s biodiversity, it also affects soil erosions and watershed degradations. The government plays a significant role in providing protection on our environment. Forest degradation problems have caused the government to slowly implement programs and restrictions on forest loggings. However, widespread loggings continues and the high rate of deforestation, especially in the past, have been making the presence of its effect felt by the people. The Figure 1 framework shows some of the roots of deforestation. These includes the increasing demand from population and urbanization, corruption, policies that lack transparency which causes illegal logging, etc. During September 2015, the Philippines have joined to commit along with the other member states of United Nations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The integration of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically the SDG# 15 Life on Land, to the approach of Philippine government in the concern of the environment provides a better guidance towards sustainable development. Proper and stricter forestry policies, programs, and planning must consider having a more rapid progress in restoring the forest by 2030, for it is a blueprint to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal #15 Life on Land for the Philippines.

In an article by Walpole, the Philippines is one of the countries with severe deforestation. The scale of deforestation in the Philippines was severe in its earlier years and though it has lessened in the present, Philippine forests continue to decline. The rich biodiversity of Philippine forest areas in the past has shown great negative changes over the years. In a news article from Lee, the forest cover of the Philippines loses 47,000 hectares every year. Furthermore, the extensive logging and mining over the country have contributed to the continuous loss of the country’s forest cover. The historical background of the Philippines on illegal logging and deforestation was prevalent and its effect in the present was very noticeable. The high rate of deforestation in the past has brought our government and the people a realization that better restrictions must be implemented. This led to establishing forestry related policies throughout the years. Although programs and laws have been implemented, a research study showed that justifying its effects was difficult because of the absence of forest cover improvement on a regional and large scale. Policies and projects of the government throughout those years were not sufficient enough to provide rapid and significant changes to recover from the damages dealt by severe deforestation acts of the past. It can be referred that the past actions of the government in the issue of deforestation were short sighted. An article by Tacio included a statement from the 2011 State of the Nation Address of President Benigno S. Aquino III that planting tree projects of most of the politicians does not ensure the longevity of trees after they leave. Projects of the politicians such as tree planting and forest recoveries can also be an opportunity to show off to the media without ensuring the effectiveness of the projects, and some just have minimal signs of progress. In addition, widespread corruption is also another factor that hinders the progress of laws and policies related to forest recovery and preservation. Corruption occurs in the forest sector by allowing illegal logging for the benefit of having a higher value of timber. Research from Koyuncu and Yilmaz, their study has examined that a relationship exists between corruption and deforestation through various corruption indices and deforestation determinants. However, records and information on corruption acts for illegal logging can be difficult to track because of how private sectors and government officials are involved. Nonetheless, corruption is another factor that should be considered and reduced to also help decrease illegal logging. As such concerns continue in the present, projects and implementations in recovering the forests of the country still have not able to get through recovering its destruction rate. The policies of the government related to forest protection still show insecurities. For that reason, further implementations and projects that can consider better progress should be taken.

Along with the current development of the country also brought consequences to its environment. An increase in population has also been setting a toll on continuous forest degradation. The increase in population creates pressure for commercial and urban expansion to also increase. It is for a reason the needs of every individual become more demanding from its environment. Furthermore, this creates a reason for the population to continue acts that degrade the forest area of the Philippines, regardless of it being large or small scale. In research from Camagni et al., the study indicates that the environmental costs are associated with the patterns of urban expansion. Furthermore, the study proved that as residential and urbanization progress, it also generates further impacts on the environment. The rapid expansion of urbanization will bring more demand on land space which too will lead to a larger scale of cutting down trees. It can also be observed that through the years of development, that the old areas rich in a terrestrial ecosystem are now cut down and replaced for industrialization and urbanization. In another article from Seto et al., urban expansion and its number in the future significantly and directly affect the biodiversity of the country. Further disturbance on the natural vegetation of the country in the present and the coming years in the future will likely affect the natural resources. It is for a reason that guidance and policies on urban land expansion must be able to foresee how the future will be able to adapt to future demands. Furthermore, supported by another article by Nor et al., an estimation on global expansion and development was expected to almost double its number by 2030 if proper planning and control are not managed for urban expansion in Metro Manila. On the other hand, having a better planning system in regulating urban expansion can lead to doubling the area of green spaces instead. The predicted increase of urban space without a structured approach will just continue the same patch of forest degradation for the past decades. A more sustainable integration in achieving development also means investing and integrating better policies and considerations on the environment. The committed compliance of shifting better approaches guided by the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically the SDG#15 Life on Land, assists the country in more sustainable development. As the rapid growth of urbanization is uncontrollable a more structured plan guided by Sustainable Development Goals could create more preferable progress.

The participation of every individual is important as well besides the role of the government. Breaking the law can be due to lack of transparency on law implementations and the poor situation of other people leaving them no choice to violate them. For policies to serve its purpose, it should be practiced properly by its people. Moreover, professionals that takes part in making use of forest area and others for land expansion purposes should come up with a more responsible planning considering the effect of urban expansion in the future. Professionals such as architects, takes a responsible role in using land spaces sustainably, especially in rapid changes of urbanization and its effect of forest area. As a building industry, architecture can also help and promote a more sustainable use of forestry and reduce deforestation. Through the use of sustainable sources and materials, it can reduce the demand on timbers and other sources. Furthermore, technologies of the present can be utilized in providing a more sustainable process of building rather than depending too much on forestry. As the growing cities and settlements also puts pressure on forest areas of the country, architecture can also find a better solution in preserving the forest areas that allows a more sustainable condition for it. Allowing green-field development that allows nature to co-exist in settlements of urban areas should be more considered in establishing future cities. This includes plans on both small to large scale projects to compromise and support our local forestry. In the same article of Seto et al., the ideas from Gordon A. suggest that future infrastructure should adapt better for the unforeseen demands of the future urbanization on forest area. Investing also in advanced process and plans on the use of land can bring us closer to recovering from the destruction rate of deforestation.

Conclusion

In concluding the statements of this paper, an effective and sustainable development is achieved by not measured by being less ignorant of development effects on the environment. Specifically on the country’s forestry, it has experienced drastic changes over the years for it to provide more developed cities in the present. Future strategies of the Philippines could also give further focus on protecting life on land, especially the forest areas. As the Philippines have also joined the other states in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, and though the Philippines have been progressing in recovering forest areas based on the statistics of Global Forest Watch, stronger compliance to the Sustainable Development Goals will provide a more coherent plan for the future development of the country.