It has been and it will remain as humans and living creatures’ best friend.
It converts carbon dioxide into oxygen, provides shade, acts as a habitat and provides food for many species of animals and plants.
It can act as a sponge reducing the falling speed of the rain, retaining it, and slowly dropping it down making water filtering in the soil easier which refills the aquifers. The roots retain water, avoiding the
accelerated drying, erosion, and landslides. It provides wood, organic matter, material for housebuilding, furniture, among others.
It favors emotional stability by keeping touch with nature, it provides with medical benefits according to each species.
Unfortunately, it has not been granted the necessary level of importance, no matter how many factors are affecting it, being those by ignorance, lack of information, accelerated growth of the population, exaggerated use of firewood, and agricultural practices for increased production.
Age, the wind, diseases such as: pine beetles, parasitic plants, borers, worms.
The irresponsible cutting of trees to become richer and not out of necessity. Proof of this is that worldwide springs, streams and rivers are decreasing their flow.
Currently in Guatemala there are organizations that are rising to defend the water resource due to the scarcity that affects them. It is necessary for humans and local organizations to become aware of the great benefits that each tree offers without being asked. This can be done by conducting focused orientations regarding the rational use of renewable and non-renewable resources.
"This translation has been done thanks to Daniel Gil, a translation intern from VUB university"