Growing plants: Its relationship to the concept of reducing Disaster
Disasters caused by extreme weather events (e.g. droughts, storms, floods, hurricanes and
cyclones), other natural phenomena (e.g. fire, outbreaks of animal and plant pests, earthquakes,
landslides, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions) and human conflicts (e.g. civil unrest and armed
conflicts that displace people) may result in forest degradation and deforestation. Inevitably,
such disasters disrupt the supply of forest products and environmental services, threatening the
subsistence and livelihoods of local communities and forest industries. They can trigger
unprecedented pressure on forests, with survivors and displaced people forced to forage in
residual forests for food, timber, woodfuel, fibre, fodder and other products, or to occupy the
forests and clear them for agriculture. Forests that have been destroyed or seriously damaged
by disasters may suffer secondary impacts, such as pest outbreaks, wildfire andberosion. These
can delay forest recovery and cause the further deterioration of the livelihoods and food
security of forest-dependent people. The loss or damage of forest and tree resources can lead
to the degradation of soil and water resources, with the potential for negative effects on
downstream agricultural and fishery production and consequently on the livelihoods of
communities.
When the damage to forests as a result of a disaster is severe, the negative impacts can be
long-lasting because of the lengthy timeframes generally involved in forest recovery. Forestdependent communities may need assistance in preparing for disasters and in recovering from
them when they occur, taking into account long-term factors.
On the other hand, forests can be lifesaving resources during and after disasters, providing
food, timber for rebuilding, woodfuel, medicines, and a means by which affected people can
obtain their livelihoods. People affected by disaster are vulnerable to hunger, malnutrition and
poverty. Forests and trees outside forests are potential resources in such circumstances for
supplementing and diversifying diets, in both the short and longer terms. Agroforestry,
intercropping and the growing of fruit, nut and other food-yielding trees (such as Moringa) are
potential elements of strategies to diversify diets in the wake of disaster. Forestry efforts to
diversify diets are best integrated with those of other sectors to achieve optimal diversification
and to anchor interventions in the livelihoods of affected people.
Well-managed forests and trees can reduce the impacts of disasters. In steep lands, for
example, well-managed forests can reduce soil erosion caused by flooding and, in some cases,
avert landslides. Mangroves and other coastal forests can reduce the damage caused by storm
surges and tsunamis, and well-managed lands and forests can decrease the risk of wildfire.
Plants are one of our surviving weapon. It provides us food with nutrients that are capable
of making us grow healthy. Plants are also the food for animals and other living organisms. To
sum up, plants play a big role in maintaining life in Earth.
Plant is very relevant to every living creature in the world. For humans, it does not just
provide food but also medicine. There are plants that are considered as the answer in most
illnesses. These plants have their components, quality, and kind to cure such ill people. Aside
from this, it can also provide shelter as most of the materials needed in building a house came
from plants. We are living in a comfortable, fresh and sturdy house, thanks to these plants
that's been helping us a lot.
But do you know what one incredible thing these plants do? You will know it as you read
through.
Our country Philippines is prone to different kinds of disasters like typhoons and volcano
eruptions. It is been very evident since we are in numerous forms of islands and is very close to
the Pacific Ring of Fire. But do you ever wonder, that we are in the vulnerable zone where
we're prone to disasters, we could have been washed out if there is a strong typhoon attacking
us, but still, Philippines has its shape, and people are still alive. There is something that's been
guarding us. What could it be? Well, one specific answer, is plants. They are our guard and
protection towards disasters.
There are three main parts of a plant. The leaves, stem, and it's roots. These parts play its
own role for the plants growth and flower and fruit production. This part, the “roots” absorbs
water from the soil and delivers it up to the stem and leaves. Let us make flood as an example.
A flood has an heavy, big amount of water level that destroys houses and crops. If there are
plants where the flood will be occuring, these will absorb the water it contains. Its absorption
helps reduce the amount of water a flood brings, and lessens the destruction probability to
different areas and properties of that specific place. In this way, people gets safer and have the
higher chance of surviving. That is why if you observe, deforestated places are usually prone to
floods even when its just raining moderately, it is because they have nothing to absorb water
from it.
Another is, it helps prevent landslides. If there are plants or trees that are being planted,
the soil would be much stronger because there are something holding onto it, it's texture
wouldn't be soft because landslides usually occur on weak soil structures.
Plants are barrier to disasters. They just stand on soil, but even so, they guard, protect and
fight occuring disasters. We cannot avoid these natural phenomenas but at least, we have
plants, and it is highly important to maintain and cultivate them.
Growing plants makes a big difference. At this time where the world slowly changes, and
things are not on what they are used to be before, the presence of climate change, and the
continuous effect of globalization, planting is needed. Improving community and society is good,
but still we should take concern on keeping our world green.
As a Senior High School student, planting had been very relevant to me. Being aware of the
possible disasters that might happen scares me, and it makes me more determined to plant. I
now understand why our subject teacher made plot as our performance task. It is because we
are not certain when would a disaster might occur. But the important thing is, we are prepared,
because we planted. Preparation is really needed at things like this, disaster is a serious matter,
and people should also take planting seriously. I am not just talking its benefit to myself, but
also to my family, society and to the people that this plant might be saved. As I learn through
the lessons, I realized the close relationship of plants in the concept of reducing disasters. As
what has been indicated to the above contents underlying plants' contribution in reducing
disasters, it can be clearly seen that plants are the primary reason why emerging disasters can
be highly disastrous but not fatal in regards to people's physical state and the community as
well.
There should be a balanced treatment in taking every step, so both could improve and
there is no abuse of usage. We, the people are the one responsible for it, in both good and bad
effects. Plants should be part of our daily life. Like our pets, we should take good care of them
so they would grow healthy. We are old and mature enough to take responsibility to everything
we see especially in our environment, these responsibilities will help not just individuals but the
community as well to be protected against disasters.
I still remember several typhoons that hit our community, and it was seriously dangerous. I
had witnessed houses and infrastructures being disrupted, roads blocked by landslides and
even lives being taken. After seeing these, I had known the big relevance of plants. If there are
more trees and plants, then people and houses shouldn't have been taken away. But due to
their illegal activities that clears the forests and the increasing number of population on
humans, forests are being turned into empty and flat surfaces.
The more the world innovates everything, the more the environment is harmed. Also,
because of globalization, natural resources and the ecosystem slowly gets into danger, where
people just don't realize it because they are so overwhelmed by the change that the
globalization brings. An in the meantime, we are the one who's be getting the consequences it
will bring, that is why it is important to balance, so both could benefit and will bring no harm.
I want people to read this and realize what this essay means. I want them to be aware of
what I want to imply and what I want them to do as human beings. Cooperation is needed to
make a better community and they should know that. Only one individual won't be enough to
do this, it needs many people to work as one so everyone would benefit the good things that
environment offers. We still have time, and that time is now. Think about it, and then do it,
because plants are our life, and without it, just think about what might happen to us.