Introduction
The question of clearing the forest to sustain human needs or preserving the forest to sustain animals, plants, and other elements is debatable. Humans have been putting their needs first in recent years by consuming the forest’s natural resources. These human actions adversely affect the general population and the forest species. The environmental team is trying to find a viable solution after the continuous Indonesian floods.
Like many humans in recent decades, Anchu has chosen human needs over those of forest species. Ely, on the other hand, chooses to preserve the forest by meeting human needs through other possible means. Environmental ethics states that forest species and other elements such as rivers, water, and air are morally important, and humans should ensure that their needs are equally met. Therefore, I most agree with Ely’s approach for the Java forests because it seeks to practice environmental ethics by preserving forest resources and allowing forest species to be self-perpetuating.
Preserving the Forest Species
Regulating Clearing of Forests
One way to preserve the forest and empower the species living there is by preventing the clearing of the bushes. It is easy to most choose Ely’s forests approach compared to that of Anchu. Anchu’s approach entails clearing the forests for agricultural and industrialization needs. He does not plan to conserve the forest or care for its resources. Forests are home to plants and animal species that rely heavily on their stability. The trees, shrubs, and all types of animals, including birds and insects, depend on the fresh air, water, and food from the forest (Jhariya et al., 2019). Clearing the forests minimizes the chances for these species to live.
Ely’s opinion is that the best plan the team can develop should not be based on sparing the green spaces for human activities or prevention of floods but “to allow other species to be self-perpetuating” (Gudorf, 2010). The team should establish policies that protect the forest by prohibiting clearing activities. Cutting down trees causes forest plant extinction (Jhariya et al., 2019). The animal species that depend on these trees for food, shelter, and fresh air will likely die too. Ethically, conserving the Java forests is not doing the species a favor but fulfilling a human responsibility.
It is impossible to prohibit tree cutting in the forest strictly. Anchu’s approach is somewhat considerate because the forest must meet human needs in one way or another. Trees must be cut from time to manufacture essentials such as tissue papers and writing materials (Pro et al., 2023). However, his approach lacks the concept of valuing the importance of forest resources.
Therefore, Ely’s approach to preserving resources is still strong. Using Ely’s perspective, the government can develop and enforce laws that prohibit clearing and limit the cutting down of trees. The Ely team should formulate environmental policies that assess people who get permits to cut forest trees. The permits should only be given to a few manufacturers who critically need the trees (Pro et al., 2023). The policies should also encourage manufacturers to grow trees elsewhere, especially in their firms far from the forest, to reduce the chances of depending on the forest (Pro et al., 2023). That way, the environmental team will allow the plants and animals in the forest to live independently.
Conserving Forest Water
Forest and surrounding water from which the forest species benefit should be protected from chemical and agricultural pollution. According to Gudorf (2010), after the Jarkata 2007 floodings ended, all the flooded water drained into the Java Sea. The flood water carried chemicals, debris, and garbage with them. Indeed, the fishermen of that area had to move from the shores to catch fish. In most Java forests, birds and other animal species rely on the Java Sea water for survival. The garbage, debris, and chemicals pollute the sea waters, making them unsafe for the animals. The animals that drink such polluted water die from contamination-related health problems (Felton et al., 2020). In other words, contaminating such waters contributes to forest species’ extinction. Furthermore, the forest trees near the sea and all that depend on this water can dry up.
Anchu’s approach seeks to empower industrialization and agricultural farming, which contributes to the contamination of the sea and forest waters in the long run. The principles of environmental ethics stand against any human practices that could damage the environment and forest species in particular (Baker et al., 2019). Therefore, Ely’s idea is viable because it seeks to develop strategies to prevent Java Sea pollution.
There are at least two ways in which Ely and her team can conserve forest water. One of the ways to prevent flooded and contaminated water from reaching the Java Sea is by creating effective water catchments. Dams are the best solution for water shedding during floods in many regions (Pro et al., 2023). However, the case study shows that most Jarkata dams have been replaced with golf courses, among other things (Gudorf, 2010).
The most viable way to solve this problem would be constructing other dams. Creating new water catchments will reduce the chances of flooded water entering the region’s rivers and sea. The second way of forest water preservation is by conserving forest rivers (Seddon et al., 2021). The environmental team can establish and implement policies that clean and protect forest rivers. Java forest rivers may need cleaning after the flooded water invasion. Cleaning and maintaining rivers is a way of protecting the species that consume the water for various reasons.
Reforestation
Another way the Ely team can implement conservation of the forest species is by replanting trees in the areas where the forest was cleared. Gudorf (2010) asserts that efforts to stop tree logging in Jarkata have not been tangible in the past years. Even worse, after massive logging, the forest officials and community concerned had replanted large forest areas. However, the wealthy and powerful people of the area illegally continued to clear the forest (Gudorf, 2010). Anchu’s plan is not favorable because it involves more forest clearing without replanting trees.
Therefore, as much as the Ely team could influence people to replant the trees in cleared areas, a policy should be developed to enforce the forest laws. According to Gudorf (2010), the lack of effective legal enforcement to prevent the powerful from logging, no solution will be viable. Ely’s approach is based on practising environmental ethics, but the team cannot expect everybody to act morally (Baker et al., 2019). Therefore, enforcing a law that will hold everyone accountable is the most convenient plan.
Enforcing Climate Change Solutions
Advocating and enforcing climate change solutions can save forest species from extinction. Anchu’s approach is based on causing more effects of climate change, especially through industrialization. Industrialization entails developing more manufacturing plants and industries which emit more carbon to the atmosphere, worsening the climate status. Progressive climate changes cause prolonged droughts affecting animals and plants in the forest (Seddon et al., 2021). During these droughts, the forest trees dry while the animals die due to lack of water. Animals that rely on green vegetation also die during these droughts (Seddon et al., 2021).
Ely’s approach aims at reversing climate change by conserving the forest, hence reducing pollution in the air. The strategies such as using renewable energy reduce the carbon level in the atmosphere. Planting trees in and out of the forest can also help reduce carbon in the air (Seddon et al., 2021). A positive climate reduces the chances of forest fires which highly cause the extinction of various species. These are among many other strategies that support Ely’s approach to preserving the environment ethically.
Conclusion
Ely’s approach to the Java forests is the most viable because it aligns with environmental ethics. Although Anchu’s perspective is practical in meeting some human needs, it lacks the ethical stand of valuing forest resources. The principles of ethics demand humans be responsible for protecting the forest’s species and other elements. Preserving the forest components can be done by developing and enforcing conservation laws. These policies will ensure that there will be no logging and Java Sea pollution. They will also ensure reforestation by both the environment conservatives and the concerned community. Enforcing climate change solutions will equally reduce the possibility of species extinction. Ely’s approach aims to ensure that the forest species can live freely in a safe environment, hence is the best choice.
References
Baker, M. M., Grundy, M., Junmookda, K. D., Macer, D. R., Manzanero, L. I. O., Reyes, D. P. T., & Waller, A. R. (2019). Environmental ethics education. Eubios Ethics Institute. 1-134. Web.
Felton, A., Löfroth, T., Angelstam, P., Gustafsson, L., Hjältén, J., Felton, A. M., & Ranius, T. (2020). Keeping pace with forestry: Multi-scale conservation in a changing production forest matrix. Ambio, 49, 1050-1064. Web.
Gudorf, C. E. (2010). Boundaries: A casebook in environmental ethics (2nd ed.). Georgetown University Press.
Jhariya. M. K., Banerjee, A., Meena, R. S., & Yadav, D. K. (2019). Sustainable agriculture, forest and environmental management. Springer.
Pro, G. F. W., Watcher, F., & Atlases, F. (2023). Global forest watch. World Resources Institute. Web.
Seddon, N., Smith, A., Smith, P., Key, I., Chausson, A., Girardin, C., & Turner, B. (2021). Getting the message right on nature‐based solutions to climate change. Global Change Biology, 27(8), 1518-1546. Web.