Sierra Madre: Fighting to save what's left of a vital rainforest in the Philippines – BBC News

Summary

The Philippines, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, faces a severe conflict between preserving its vital forests and the pressures of illegal logging, mining, and quarrying. The Sierra Madre mountains, crucial for shielding against storms and floods, are being devastated. While some, like Mark, rely on illegal logging to survive, forest rangers like Francisco, motivated by a tragic past, work tirelessly to replant and protect the land. The struggle to balance livelihoods with environmental preservation is a key challenge in the fight against climate change in the Philippines.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Philippines is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, regularly experiencing powerful storms, landslides, and flooding.
• 😀 The Sierra Madre mountain range in Luzon is crucial for protecting the country from extreme weather, but it is being devastated by mining, quarrying, and illegal logging.
• 😀 Around 90% of the original rainforest in the Sierra Madre has been stripped away, leaving the remaining forests under threat.
• 😀 Mark, a local involved in illegal logging, sold his cow to buy a chainsaw, relying on logging to meet basic needs despite the risks.
• 😀 Illegal loggers like Mark argue that they are simply trying to survive, highlighting the economic struggle in rural areas with limited livelihood options.
• 😀 Forest ranger Francisco, who once made a living from logging, now leads efforts to plant trees after witnessing the devastation caused by a deadly landslide.
• 😀 Francisco feels trauma and guilt from the 2010 landslide that killed thousands and destroyed entire communities, inspiring his shift to forest conservation.
• 😀 The risks of protecting the forests are severe, with 270 people having been killed in the past 10 years defending Filipino rainforests.
• 😀 Forest rangers and volunteers like Francisco face threats from illegal loggers but continue their work to prevent further destruction of the forests.
• 😀 Replanting the forests is a long and difficult process, requiring volunteers to walk miles with saplings, and the main challenge is changing attitudes about the land's value in the fight against climate change.

Q & A

What makes the Philippines highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change?

The Philippines is highly vulnerable to climate change due to frequent exposure to powerful storms, landslides, and flooding, particularly in areas like Luzon, the country's largest island.

How do the forests in the Sierra Madre region contribute to climate resilience?

The forests in the Sierra Madre region act as natural defenses against extreme weather events by shielding against powerful storms and absorbing heavy rainfall, helping to protect local communities from the worst impacts of these events.

What are the main threats to the forests of Sierra Madre?

The forests in the Sierra Madre region are under threat primarily from mining, quarrying, and illegal logging, which have already stripped away around 90% of the original rainforest.

How do local people make a living despite the risks involved with illegal logging?

People like Mark and his wife Grace make a living by illegally cutting down trees, selling the wood for construction projects. Despite the dangers and legal risks, they rely on this activity for basic necessities, as they have limited access to other sources of livelihood.

What is Mark’s perspective on the illegal logging activity?

Mark views the illegal logging as a necessity for survival. He acknowledges the dangers but expresses that people like him have no other means of earning a living and that they don’t intend to harm the environment but are driven by financial need.

What role does Forest Ranger Francisco play in protecting the Sierra Madre forests?

Forest Ranger Francisco leads efforts to protect the remaining forests by overseeing planting sites and educating local communities about the importance of conserving the environment. He is also a former logger who became a ranger after experiencing the trauma of a deadly landslide that killed thousands.

What motivates Francisco to protect the forest despite the risks to his life?

Francisco is motivated by the traumatic memory of a landslide that killed many people, including children. This event drove him to become a forest ranger and dedicate his life to preventing further destruction of the forests, even at the risk of his own life.

What is the threat to forest rangers and volunteers in the Philippines?

Forest rangers and volunteers face significant risks to their lives when confronting illegal logging activities. In the last 10 years, 270 people have been killed while defending Filipino rainforests, and many of them have been threatened with violence by illegal loggers.

What are the challenges in replanting the destroyed forests of Sierra Madre?

Replanting the forests is a difficult and long process. Volunteers must walk miles to plant saplings, and even after that, the challenge remains to convince others that these forests are critical in the fight against climate change and that their preservation is essential for future human survival.

Why is it important to preserve the forests of Sierra Madre in the context of climate change?

The forests of Sierra Madre play a crucial role in mitigating the effects of climate change by absorbing rainfall and acting as a natural barrier against typhoons and floods. Preserving these forests is vital for protecting lives and communities from increasingly frequent and severe weather events.