by Franklin P. Gumapon
DIPOLOG CITY, March 7 (PIA) - - To mitigate the adverse effects of climate change wrought by global warming, the city government here is now intensifying its campaign against illegal cutting of trees especially natural-grown forest trees.
City councilor Kenny Val Ong said he had witnessed that banned and endangered species of trees were being felled by illegal cutters in government reservation areas.
Ong even showed to his fellow councilors pictures of illegally cut lumbers from a government reservation area at “Puting Bato Peak” in barangay Dicayas this city.
It was also learned that the illegal cutters would go up the hill during Saturdays and Sundays and transport the logs during nighttime for distribution to local sawmills.
Ong urged the city council to act on this problem to spare the city from flooding due wanton destruction of forest reserves as experienced by the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro last year.
He underscored the importance of protecting the forest reserves in order to avoid flashfloods and landslides that might be brought about by heavy rains. (FPG/PIA-Zamboanga del Norte)
