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Module 22

Science and Health

REFORESTATION

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A Ded-BEAM Distance Learning Program supported by the Australian Agency for International Development
 To the Learner

Describe the effects of deforestation.

Let’s Learn This

Did you know that photosynthesis lessens the greenhouse

effect? That deforestation can aggravate it?

The carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere helps control the

climate. It also provides plants with carbon to make sugars in
photosynthesis. The warming of the atmosphere is called the
greenhouse effect. This atmospheric condition is called greenhouse
effect because CO2 traps heat and makes the air warmer just as
transparent glass does in a greenhouse.

Young tress takes up CO2 faster than old tress. But when old
trees are harvested, the roots and many branches are left to
decomposers or burn. Burning and decomposition turns the carbon
compounds that were in the tree into CO2. This increases the volume
of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Let’s Try This

Check all the effects of deforestation and cross out those that
are not.

_______1. growing of new tress

_______2. reduced supply of food
_______3. increase in food production
_______4. soil erosion
_______5. increased supply of water to towns and Cities
_______6. extinction of animals and plant species
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_______7. washing away of top soil
_______8. floods
_______9. increase in soil fertility
______10. displacement of plants and animals

Let’s Study This

Effects of Deforestation

There are three main reasons why our forests are denuded.
These are: (10) over harvesting of good timber by commercial
logging companies (2) setting down of smaller and usually young
tress by fuel wood gathers and (3) kaingin or the slash-and-burn
practice of upland settlers.

Logging companies over harvest by cutting down tress in areas

beyond what is allowed in their limits. They also overharvest by
cutting immature tress. Firewood gathers also do their own cutting.
They cut smaller trees which do not make commercial timber. They
also recklessly cut young growing tress that would have grown into
timer with more years.

When trees are cut down, forest animals lose their homes.
Where else would our unique animals live? Four unique animals in
the world are found in our country. They; are tarsiers of bohol which
are thought to be the smallest monkey in the world; the mouse-deer
in Palawan which is the world’s smallest deer; the tamaraw of
Mindoro which looks like dwarf carabao; and the zebronkey, half
zebra, half donkey. Where else would our monkey-eating eagle, the
largest eagle in the world be found in its natural habitat-the jungles
in Luzon and Mindanao be deforested?

Forest is the sources of food for animals. As more trees are cut
down, more animals go hungry. Go hungry. When the forests
disappear, wildlife is displaced. Some go to other places but if they
cannot adapt to their new environment, they would soon die.

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 Cutting of tress, especially in watersheds decreases our water
supply. Without tress, the soft top soil beneath containing nutrients
needed by plants will be washed out to the rivers and will make its
way to the ocean floor. The water will turn muddy and the coral
reefs, where the fish lives will be covered with soil, when the forest’s
water holding capacity decreases, there would be a reduced supply
of freshwater to towns and cities. The water supply of Metro Manila
mainly comes from the Angat watershed. But are there enough trees
in this watershed, today?

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 Kaingin farming or slash-and burn method is one of the main
causes of forest denudation. This method is destructive because it
uses fire to burn tress in order to openabout a hectare of land. The
kaingero and his family settle on this land and cultivate crops on it.
Settling of kaingero in this area destroys humus and thereby sets in
motion two devastating events one after another. First, soil nutrients
are depleted, forcing the kaingeros to abandon their cleared patches
as soon as the fertility is weakened with the loss of humus. The
Department of environment and Natural Resources (DENR) estimates
that there are about 3 million individuals comprising the kaingin all
over the country.

Let’s Do This

What are the effects of deforestation? List them in the mind

map below.

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 Let’s Do More

What is deforestation?

What to use: none

What to do:

1. Study the two illustrations below then spot their difference.

A. B.

What you have found out:

1. Which of the two illustrations show deforestation?

_________________________________________

2. What does deforestation mean?

_________________________________________
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 Let’s Remember This

Reforestation has several effects. Some of these are:

• Floods
• Less supply of food
• Loss of soil fertility
• Soil erosion
• Decrease in water supply to towns and cities
• Displacement of loss of wildlife
• Sedimentation in water reservoirs

Let’s Test Ourselves

Choose and encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following is the effect of deforestation in the

environment?

a. soil erosion
b. global warming
c. increases of plant variety
d. both a and b

2. Why is deforestation harmful to animals?

a. it destroys their natural habitat

b. it enables them to multiply rapidly
c. it provides them more protection from their enemies
d. it gives them more space to move about

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3. Which of the following is NOT an effect of deforestation?
a. it reduces his water supply
b. it causes floods to low-lying areas
c. it changes his lifestyle
d. it improves the quality to the top soil

4. When is man an enemy of the forest?

a. when he cuts down young tress
b. when he plants young trees
c. when he gets lumber in the forest
d. when he does mountain climbing

5. What will happen to wildlife if deforestation will continue?

a. there will be a relocation of people in the city
b. animals and other wildlife population will increase
c. wildlife will become tame
d. wildlife will be disturbed and may emigrate to other place

6. Why is there soil erosion in deforested area?

a. because of thick forest that helps hold the soil
b. soil will transform into another form
c. because there are no more tress which can help hold the
soil in place
d. soil will not be carried away

7. How can man’s activity destruct our environment?

a. by planting young tress to replace the old ones

b. by cutting down matured trees only enough to be used.
c. By cutting down trees and burning down forest
d. By cutting and selling old tress for fire wood

8. The process of cutting down or removing tress in the forest

without replacing them is called?__________

a. deforestation
b. crop rotation
c. restoration
d. reforestation

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 9. Which of these is an effect of deforestation?

a. there will be more available space for housing

b. it enhance the lives of people
c. it makes wood smugglers wealthy
d. communities will be underwater for some days

10. Wildlife disappears in deforested areas due to ______

a. illegal logging
b. destruction of habitats
c. accidental forest fire
d. better life condition

Science Fact File

Science Innovations and Reports

The Department of environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

recently issued a warning to wood companies to refrain from cutting
the 12 endangered Philippine Tree Species.
The 12 endangered tree species are included in the list
prepared by the convention on the international Trade on
Endangered Species of wild Flora and Fauna (CITIES).

A CITY is an international organization which aims to protect

important tree and wild life species against overexploitation and
promote their scientific, agricultural, recreational and economic
values.
Those considered endangered are: almaciga, batikuling,
dungon, igem, ipil, kalantas, mangbono, mindoro pine, saniglo,
supa, yakal, kaliot, and tindalo.

The penalties for those who violate the policy ranges from
confiscation of materials filing of administrative and criminal charges
and the cancellation of permits. However the Department allows
cutting and harvesting when these would be necessary consequence
in the process of road construction.

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 Answer Key

Let’s try This:

1. x
2. /
3. /
4. /
5. /
6. /
7. /
8. /
9. x
10. /

Let’s Do this:

Answer Vary

Let’s Do More:

1. B
2. deforestation in the cutting of tress without replanting

Let’s Test Ourselves

1. d
2. a
3. d
4. a
5. d
6. c
7. c
8. a
9. d
10. b

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