Rain forests are one of the last great frontiers of discovery. It is estimated that millions of species are still yet to be found and classified making this one of the most enigmatic entities in the world, yet the sad fact remains that this object of beauty is fast diminishing and may not be around for future generations. We are losing thousands of acres per day due to deforestation to pave the way for so called “growth” and “industrialization” and with this brings consequences such as climate change, devastated natural habitats that support entire ecosystems, desertification and to our own detriment, losing the very key to our own salvation.
The potential cure to every illness could be locked within the very rainforests that we destroy, taking with it its secrets. What’s tragic is that we are losing natures biological treasures just as we are beginning to grasp their inherent value.
We are dependent upon the rainforest’s of the world for our survival. They provide the infrastructure of the natural world and are the building blocks that land based life builds itself upon.
The Amazonian rainforest helps to regulate normal temperatures. We can see in part the effects of global warming on weather systems with the recent spell of natural disasters. Just a brief century ago, natural rainforests covered around 14% of the earth’s surface which insulated and protected the earth’s climate against such extreme weather conditions, now that this has diminished to just 6%, in less than 50 years time there will be no more natural rainforest land to speak of leaving us at the mercy of the weather conditions that we all played a role in creating.
Our pristine natural forests are the lungs of the world, around one fifth of the entire earths oxygen comes from the Amazon rainforest which also absorbs and stores harmful carbon dioxide greenhouse gases.
The cure to every disease can potentially be found in the rainforest. Out of 3,000 drugs that are shown to react against cancer, more than 70% of these are derived from plants that can be found only in the Amazonian rainforest.
The rainforest is host to entire ecosystems that depend upon it for their survival, to destroy it would be impossible to replace the natural biodiversity housed within it.
Industries fail to see the bigger picture and are opting for quicker ways to make money by clearing precious rainforest in exchange for growing palm oil crops.
Here are just a few effects of deforestation:
Climate change:
Through deforestation due to the world’s demand for wood, not only are we significantly changing the face of our planet but we are artificially accelerating the process of climate change.
Deforestation and climate change are not independent of one another, in fact they are both closely linked.
The tropical rainforests of the world act as a natural air conditioner cooling climate temperatures. Not only do they remove and store carbon dioxide but they also have extensive cloud cover which deflects sunlight back into space preventing it from being absorbed onto the earth’s surface. This can only come specifically from tropical rainforest which means to our own detriment and survival we need to protect and encourage re-growth of what we already have. Cutting and burning of rainforest results in the introduction of even more greenhouse gases from its natural stores which further contributes to climate change.
http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/issues/deforestation/take-action
http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/issues/deforestation/overview/forest-loss-climate-change
The reduction of natural rainforest is also linked with the increase of mosquito carrying pathogens so we can continue to see the up rise of disease with the less volume of forest.
Loss of natural habitat and ecosystems:
We are losing hundreds of irreplaceable plant and animal species each day, no doubt there are thousands of species already extinct before they’ve ever had a chance to be discovered. Through excessive logging and human influence we are upsetting the natural balance between plant and animal. By changing the face of the forest you lose natural biodiversity that took evolution millions of years to form and which can never be artificially replaced through restoration incentives making conservation all the more important.
Displacement of indigenous people:
For thousands of years Indigenous people have long co-existed with their natural rainforests and have successfully survived by having the attitude to take only what they need. Sadly, however these indigenous people of Borneo, South America are being further marginalized by government and industry, all in the name of “progress”.
Although by birthright they are the rightful heirs to their land, they have the least rights when it comes to the juggernaut of agribusiness and development and are being constantly pushed further to the outskirts of society, losing more ground of their natural forest as it is stripped to make way for palm and soy oil crops.
It is estimated that there were more than 10 million native Indians in the Brazilian rainforest 500 years ago, now that number has dwindled to less than 200,000 and along with their dying population they themselves, like their forests are becoming an endangered species. With their loss of numbers goes their cultural identity and wealth of knowledge accumulated throughout the generations. Every time a medicine man dies it is the equivalent of losing a library of information.
What we can do?:
The rainforests have far more value if we can preserve, protect and continue to learn from them rather than to tragically lose them to logging. Wouldn’t you rather that they were preserved to help fight the life threatening diseases of humanity than to make your wooden floor boards from?
We need to shift the focus of industry from industrialization to preservation and put in place incentives where preservation could give equal to or higher returns than with development.
Have a voice – speak out for those who can’t speak for themselves. Greater awareness and education of the importance of our forests and their sustainability, it’s impossible to up heave whole hectares of pristine, natural forest and expect to replant them and retain their biodiversity.
We cannot expect to get back what we take, so we need to preserve what we have. Designate plantation land and keep that specifically for the purpose of forestry.
Systems need to be put in place to protect and encourage growth of the remaining rainforest land that we already have.
1. We can do this by donating to help preserve our natural rainforests of the world. We are no longer powerless as individuals, the internet has enabled the spread of information, making our world a smaller place. You can now be put directly in touch with programs that can help on your behalf. For instance the Donate an acre program:
http://ran.org/campaigns/protect_an_acre/about_protect_an_acre
You can also gift these to your loved ones, what an amazing gift knowing that you did something positive for your world.
2. Countries with rainforests need to see them as an asset other than for the purpose of logging and oil harvesting. Imagine if landowners and government were to realize the full potential of carbon emission trading, the amount of carbon offsetting natural untouched rainforest could offeris phenomenal giving more financial reason to keep them where they are.
3. Discourage buying soy and palm oil that is grown and harvested from former rainforest land.
4. Financial rewards for forest preservation for medical research.
5. By greater information and encouragement at government level and by influencing policymakers the importance of preserving these natural forests for indigeous peoples.
6. Where does that wood come from? Buying “responsible wood” or eco timber. Employing similar solutions as with endangered animal species by simply not perpetuating the demand cycle and avoiding purchasing endangered rain forest timber for construction, when we exercise our consumer power by not buying these types of items, industries will reduce harvesting this precious resource.
http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/take-action/live-greener/shopping/goodwood-guide/about-good-wood
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