At an altitude of 2,954 m, the tallest mountain in the Philippines, Apo, rises. The majestic mountain in the southern part of the country is protected by tropical forests teeming with flora and fauna. This is the home of the Philippine Eagle, the most large predator in the country, and is now an endangered species.

In the early 90s, even the foot of Mount Apo was covered with the lush greenery of a growing forest. Destruction environment, brought along with human economic activity in the area, began to quickly absorb the towering forests. Once there was a mountain paradise here, but now it is a flat plantation of pineapples and bananas. Devastation caused by illegal logging, changes in elevation and agricultural expansion have caused significant soil destruction and regular flooding, especially during the country's monsoon season. On land where there are no trees, there is nothing to keep the soil from being washed away from the mountain slopes by heavy rainfall.

The Philippines loses 2.1% of its forests annually. This level of losses is the fastest in Southeast Asia and 7th in the world. On Mount Apo alone, almost 30% of its entire surface has already been converted into farmland. Slash-and-burn agriculture, practiced mainly by indigenous people, has already completely cleared several areas of the once forested mountain. Against the backdrop of this gloomy event, a somewhat optimistic event occurred. Several groups and individuals in Davao City have come to the cause of the rapidly disappearing Mount Apo Forest. In addition to climbing the most high mountain, the climbers began to plant trees and organize outreach programs among the local population to protect the mountain.

In 2000, a group of volunteers called the Philippine Sunshine Movement found their own way to restore forests. Instead of landing common types trees growing on the slopes of the mountain, the founder and president of this movement, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, decided to get a Benguet pine (a species common in the northern Philippines) and began to grow this pine in the area. Since the beginning of this movement, the team working on this rehabilitation program has already covered almost 21 hectares in a small suburb called Tamayung - at the foot of Mount Apo. Currently, the forest plantations are covered with pine trees, which pleases the eyes of visitors. “This used to be desert land surrounded by banana plantations,” says project manager Marlon Rosete. The concerted efforts of volunteers have resulted in the entire area now being covered with approximately 30,000 healthy pine trees. The area is now considered to have the highest concentration of pine trees in the Philippines.

“Now it is a mountain paradise, so beautiful that our founder - Pastor Apollo - calls it the Mountain of Glory, a tribute to the glorious restoration of paradise on earth. And we are now reaping the fruits of these efforts,” he added. The Mount of Glory project on Mount Apo is cited as an example of action to prevent environmental disaster in the region. In addition to restoring the beauty of the mountain, the project also contributes to restoring balance to the local ecological system. Scientific research showed that one mature pine tree absorbs at least about 10 kg of carbon dioxide from the air annually and releases enough oxygen daily to supply clean air four people. In addition, one tree can capture up to 7,000 dust particles per liter of air. Thus, each tree appears to be a living conditioner and purifier.

If this scenario is followed, there is hope that the forests of the Philippines will survive. Also, for now there is hope for the restoration of the Earth, where man and nature will live in harmony.

Tropical forests make up more than 50% of all green areas on the planet. These forests are home to over 80% of animal and bird species. Today, tropical forests are being cut down at a fast pace. These numbers are terrifying: in the territory South America More than 40% of trees have already been cut down, and in Madagascar and West Africa– 90%. All this environmental disaster of a global nature.

Meaning of the Rainforest

Why is the forest so important? The importance of the tropical forest for the planet can be listed endlessly, but let’s focus on the key points:

• the forest takes a huge part in;
• trees protect the soil from being washed away and blown away by the wind;
• the forest purifies the air and produces oxygen;
• it protects areas from sudden temperature changes.

Tropical forests are a resource that renews itself very slowly, but the rate of deforestation is ruining large number ecosystems on the planet. Deforestation leads to sudden changes in temperature, changes in air speed and precipitation. The fewer trees there are on the planet, the more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere and . In place of those cut down tropical forests swamps or semi-deserts and deserts are formed, many species of flora and fauna disappear. In addition, groups of environmental refugees are emerging - people for whom the forest was a source of livelihood, and now they are forced to seek new home and sources of income.

How to save the rainforest

Today, experts offer several ways to preserve the rainforest. Every person should join this: it’s time to switch from paper to electronic media and hand over waste paper. At the state level, it is proposed to create unique forest farms where trees that are in demand will be grown. We need to ban deforestation in protected areas and increase penalties for violating this law. It is also possible to increase the state duty on wood when exporting it abroad, in order to make the sale of wood not advisable. These actions will help maintain tropical forests on the planet.

Slide 2

We were looking for answers to the following questions:

• Why are tropical rainforests disappearing?
• How to save these forests?

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Many of us live very far from Brazil, Indonesia and the Congo Basin, where the last areas of tropical rainforest still exist. rain forests. It's easy to forget that every breath we take connects us to these distant ecosystems, and that we must care for their survival as our own.

You probably know some information about these ecosystems. Wet forests are habitat for more than 50 percent of all species on the planet, as well as home to millions of indigenous peoples. Moreover, rain forests are one of the main protections against global warming, as they store huge amounts of carbon. More than 40% of all oxygen on the planet comes from tropical forests.

But, unfortunately, today more than 2/3 of all tropical forests in the world exist in the form of small areas. Industrial agriculture, excessive resource consumption, poor management, illegal logging forests, reluctance and/or inability to recognize the rights of indigenous peoples and global warming are a direct threat to the existence of rainforests.

North America and Europe are the main consumers of the benefits of tropical forests. This means that we can all correct the current situation. Below are several ways protecting the world's tropical forests. If you have any additions, please share them in the comments.

1. Love for the rainforest
Perhaps the most important step in protecting rainforests is to truly love them. Learn more about the beauty and importance of these ecosystems and share this knowledge with family and friends. Now forest destruction brings more profit than maintaining it. This situation needs to change.

2. Printed publications
Pulp from destroyed tropical forests is used for cheap printing paper, napkins and toilet paper, which are sold to consumers in the United States, Europe and Asia. But it doesn't have to be that way. America's largest printers have already phased out rainforest pulp, but they still need help from all of us.

3. Palm oil
Believe it or not, palm oil is an ingredient in half of the packaged food products in the United States, from cereals and candy to lipstick and soap. But the creation of oil palm plantations is the main reason for the destruction of tropical forests. The main companies purchasing huge volumes of palm oil are: famous brands, like General Mills, Unilever, Nestle and Cargill. By refusing their products, you will help save the rainforest from destruction.

4. Indigenous people
It is important to increase funding to protect indigenous peoples in tropical rainforests. Each of us can make our own contribution by leaving a donation to the Rainforest Foundation or Rainforest Action Network.

5. Fossil fuels
It's not so obvious, but fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) are the main threat to rain forests. Oil extraction has led to the destruction of huge areas of forest in the Amazon, and is already having negative consequences. environmental consequences. By abandoning these energy sources, we could end the life of the rainforest, and therefore the life of each of us.

HOW CAN WE SAVE THE TROPICAL FORESTS?