Officials uncover brazen illegal operation deep within remote forest: 'A crime against ... future generations'

An underwater rescue team in Thailand uncovered an illegal logging operation in Satun province.

As The Thaiger reported, the team discovered strategically hidden timber in Ban Thung Mai after acting on a tip. This follows the arrest of four people after officials received another tip about an illegal operation in Ban Nam Ra National Forest Reserve.

The officials ventured 800 meters into the thick, dense forest, where they discovered abandoned logs and hand-crafted furniture. They seized two chainsaws, a backhoe, and a six-wheeled truck. The alleged ring leader evaded arrest and got away with crucial information stored on his phone.

Officials are investigating these cases in the hope of dismantling the illegal operations. "Every tree in the forest is a national treasure. Logging for personal gain is a crime against Thailand's future generations," Deputy Governor of Satun province Kanit Khongchuea said, per The Thaiger.

Lots of Thailand's forests are protected under a network of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to help conserve biodiversity and vital habitats. Trees are often described as the lungs of Earth because they play an important role in helping all kinds of beings on the planet breathe by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. Forests are being protected and restored worldwide to help protect this biodiversity.

Trees also help remove pollutants from the air. Planting them near highways has been shown to help significantly reduce harmful pollution from cars.

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They play a critical role in keeping areas cool by providing shade and cooling the air and can be used to mitigate the effects of increasingly frequent and intense heat waves, which are a result of the warming of the planet. Research published in Nature has shown that trees can lower street-level temperatures by up to 12 degrees Celsius (21.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

Cities around the world are looking to increase their tree cover to provide relief from summer temperatures and reduce the effects of heat. For example, Paris will replace 60,000 parking spaces with greenery by 2030 in an effort to keep the city cool.

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