By Tracy Cabrera
Masungi warns of growing threats to remaining Philippine forests
By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA — The Masungi Georeserve Foundation (MGF) has warned that protecting the country’s remaining forests is becoming increasingly urgent as changing patterns of deforestation expose them to multiple and overlapping threats.
The environmental conservation group raised the alarm following findings by the World Resources Institute (WRI) showing a significant increase in the contribution of forest fires, mining activities and infrastructure development to the loss of intact forest landscapes worldwide.
According to the WRI data cited by MGF, fires accounted for nearly 40 percent of intact forest landscape loss from 2020 to 2025, up from 21.2 percent recorded between 2000 and 2013.
Mining and exploration also increased their share of forest loss from 12.1 percent to 18.8 percent, while roads and other linear infrastructure accounted for 7.5 percent, compared with just 2 percent in the earlier period.
The foundation, which has been conserving and rehabilitating a 300-hectare area of the Sierra Madre mountain range in Rizal since 2000, stressed that restoring damaged forests requires years of sustained effort.
It warned that the results of long-term conservation work could quickly be reversed without continuous protection and vigilance.
“Every surviving tree represents years of care, protection and vigilance,” the foundation said.
MGF also pointed out that climate change is worsening drought conditions and increasing fire risks, making the protection of remaining forest areas even more critical.
While recognizing the importance of forest rehabilitation, the group emphasized that preventing environmental destruction must receive equal attention.
It called for stronger environmental safeguards, action against activities that threaten forest ecosystems, and greater support for individuals and communities protecting the country’s remaining natural landscapes.
ia/xf
