WHERE HAVE ALL THE FORESTS GONE?

The forest is a bio-diverse ecosystem beyond our general perceptions and comprehension, with an interplay and inter-dependence of animal life, insects, microorganisms, fungi, etc..

The trees are like "the lungs of the world", to quote Helen Caldicott, drawing in carbon dioxide and expelling oxygen, as a by-product of its life.

The forest provides a habitat for mammals, reptiles, other diverse animals, birds, insects and bacteria beyond count.

It provides medicinal plants to heal humankind's ails.

It absorbs the energy of the winds, and the impact of rain, in its branches and canopy.

It absorbs the rain, and allows it to filter through its soils and moderates the flow into streams.

It stores the snows in its shade and moderates the melt-off in the spring, to reduce the chance of flooding.

It is a heat sink, that moderates the atmospheric temperature.

The roots draw water from the depths of the soil to its uppermost reaches.

It is like a mass of great organic water pumps moving water from the depths of the soil through the trunks, branches and leaves into the air, in a continuous cycle.

Through evapotranspiration, it transfers vast amounts of water vapor into the air, in a never ending cycle, allowing additional rain to fall wherever the winds chose to carry it.

Forests throughout the world have been destroyed, forcing people to go beyond their borders to satisfy the insatiable appetite for timber and wood products.

Corporate citizens in other countries are happy to oblige those in need, in exchange for profit and quick foreign exchange currency.

The forests are attacked by our corporate foresters; selected species are taken, while damaging or destroying the remainder.

Nations become tied up in the timber trade, and attempt to gain a portion of the profit and control of the resource from the opportunists.

Governments see the clearing of land as temporarily reducing the pressure for land for its expanding population.

Individual citizens see the dilemma and object. They are ignored, as jobs and profit are said to be paramount.

Citizens join together to protest more strongly, although still peacefully.

Corporate citizens cheat, lie, lobby, bribe, influence, infiltrate and threaten to sue individuals or groups, thereby reducing the protests and demonstrations.

Damage to the forestry is massive but also remote, and away from the eyes of the majority, and out of the concerns of most.

To appease protesters somewhat, the corporate citizens plant selected trees in rows like corn fields, suitable to their future needs.

Rotting wood and debris are burned, depriving the soil of nutrients, and small animals of cover.

They spray the new trees with various chemicals to protect 'their' investment.

They destroy the underground organisms, and fungi that help to break down the rotting materials that enable the trees to absorb nutrients and water and to fix nitrogen.

They allow the soil to erode into the streams which destroys the salmon and other fish hatching areas. They destroy the ability of others to fish for recreation and commerce.

They allow the soil to erode into the sea, destroying coral and off-shore fisheries and the way of life of native peoples.

Through contrived press releases, manipulation and half truths, much of the public is convinced that we now have a managed forestry, where in reality we have a tree farm without bio-diversity.

Concerned individuals, now in frustration, resort to ecotage or monkeywrenching to bring their views into the public news media, and to make an undesirable impact on the corporations profits.

The general public, as well as the offended corporation, reacts negatively to the assault and antics of the concerned.

The government and corporations take their cue and attack the motives and aims of those concerned.

The true perpetrator of a crime against Nature, gets away with rape while the concerned are made to look like alarmists and foolish people.

To paraphrase Christopher Manes, in his book Green Rage, "There is something slightly absurd about a scenario in which those who want to destroy a forest can accuse those who are trying to preserve it, of property damage."

The topic for next week will be the ozone protective shield.

Have a nice day.