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TWO METHODS
of cutting forests. Complete logging off ofmature forest. left, prior to replanting. Block cutling in old growth, and
primsry road development, righf, with gradual reforestation. Tragicsffy, many tropical forests are nof being replanted as here.
FORESTS
(Conrinued from page 26)
sibly affecti ng forever the world's
weather system"
(ibid.).
lt
is cstimated that the deveg–
elaling act ivities of man and his
domes tic a nima ls have already
drastically altered 20 percent of
the total area of the contincnts,
with a resulting change in the
heal and water budget. Combi nc
lhe damage man has done lo the
e nvironment down t hrough the
centuries with the current on–
slaught in the tropical forests
and there is a real cause for
alarm. The balance of nalure
depcnds partly on a certain per–
cenlagc of th e eart h's su rface
bcing covered with trees. 1n a
way, there is a parallel with the
skin of a human being. A person
can tolerate the loss of a certain
perccntage of his skin and sur–
vive. But let that critical point
be surpassed and the whole life–
systcm fails.
Likcwise with the earth's forcst
covering. l t plays an essential part
in thc g lobal recycling of water,
oxygcn, carbon and nitrogen, as
wcll as inAuencing the wind, tem–
perature and humidity. Scienlists
studying the situation are divided
in their predictions as to whether
it will become warmer or colder
as the result of deforestation, plus
the smokc of slash-and-burn agri-
44
culture. A slight change either
way will be sufficient to upset the
weather patterns as we have
known them.
Out on a Limb with
''Supertrees''?
Someseea noteofoptimism in what
they hope can be achievcd through
the use of "supertrees," winged
beans and other hardy, rapidly
growing plants. So-called super–
trees (most of thcm actually are
large legumes) may reach a height
of more than 20 feet in one year–
and even the foliage is edible. Capa–
ble of slowing erosion and adding
nutrients to the soil, they are a
source of pu lp, paper and fi rewood.
Meanwhi le the winged bean is a
smaller plant almost entirely edible,
including its roots.
lt
is hoped such
plants can be "farmed" where for–
ests once stood.
But it costs money lo pul such
plants where they are needed. Anda
lot of convincing has lo be done all
the way from the highest levels of
various governments to the forest
farmer whose set pattern of doing
things is often hard to change.
Besides, thcse fast-growing plants
can never really rcplace a .natural
hardwood forest. lt's not unlike
tearing out a Aower garden and
sowing a fast-growing, edible weed
instead. The weeds may prevent
erosion, they may be prolific and
even provide food. But the weeds
are not Aowers!
The Trunk of the Tree
A tree, whether part of a forest or
standing alone on a city lot, ought
not to be taken for granted. Of
course there is a proper way and
time to harvest timber and forest
products. No one is saying there
isn't. But the wholesale and indis–
criminate destruction of forcsts
and woodlands is wrong.
When God created the first man
and woman He pul them in an ideal
environment- a garden with plenty
of trees. Adam was told to d ress and
keep the garden (Genesis 2:9, 15).
T hat meant responsible steward–
ship. That is exactly what is needed
now over the forests and woodlands
oftheearth.
But who is going to decide what
constitutcs responsible steward–
ship? T helumbercompanies? Mul–
tinational corporations? Develop–
ers? Cattle ranchers? Poverty–
stricken farmers? Scientists? Con–
servationists? Bureaucrats? Some–
one has to be in charge, but who?
Just as to the other problems
plaguing mankind-there is only
one real solu tion to the growing
crisis concerning earth 's forests:
fair , respons ibl e, inco rruptible
world government. The kind of
government Jesus Christ is going
to bring to this earth.
Ever since the days of Caín,
there have been people who have
tried to "force" the earth–
attempting to wring more out of
The
PLAIN TRUTH