Introduction

llegal logging is devastating the rainforests, which are referred to as ´the lungs of the Earth´ and supply 28% of the world's oxygen. Without the trees in the rainforest, there is more carbon in the atmosphere.

Rainforests are important to the global ecosystem because they:
• provide a home to many plants and animals;
• help stabilize the world's climate;
• protect against flood, drought, and erosion;
• are a source for medicines and foods;
• support tribal people; and
• are an interesting place to visit

The rainforest is one of the biggest and most important living stores of carbon on the planet through its ability to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into solid carbon and keeping it locked in the tree trunks for centuries. At the current rate of deforestation, three quarters of the Amazon will be depleted by 2030. Cooltribe believes that by restoring vast areas of rainforest, it is possible to recapture carbon at a significant rate whilst protecting biodiversity and supporting local communities by providing them decent work.

What are the rainforests?
 
Tropical rainforests are forests with tall trees, warm climate, and lots of rain. In some rainforests it rains more than one inch every day!

Rainforests wrap around the earth like a green belt. From 40 to 75% of all species on Earth are indigenous to the rainforests. It has been estimated that many millions of species of plants, insects, and microorganisms are still undiscovered. Tropical rainforests have been called the "jewels of the Earth", and the "world's largest pharmacy", because of the large number of natural medicines discovered there. Rainforests cover only a small part of the earth's surface - about 6%, yet they are home to over half the species of plants and animals in the world.

Where are they located?

Tropical rainforests are located near the equator. Fifty seven percent of all tropical rainforests are found in Latin America. One third of the world's tropical rainforests are in Brazil. Other tropical rainforests are located in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands (25% of the world's tropical rainforests) and West Africa (18%).
 
What are the terms related to rainforests?

THE CANOPY
In the rainforest most plant and animal life is not found on the forest floor but in the leafy world known as the canopy. The canopy, which may be over 100 feet above the ground, is made up of the overlapping branches and leaves of rainforest trees. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of life in the rainforest is found in the trees making this the richest habitat for plant and animal life. Many well-known animals including monkeys, frogs, lizards, birds, snakes, sloths, and small cats are found in the canopy.

The environment of the canopy is very different from the environment of the forest floor. During the day, the canopy is drier and hotter than other parts of the forest and the plants and animals that live there are specially adapted for life in the trees. For example, because the amount of leaves in the canopy can make it difficult to see more than a few feet, many canopy animals rely on loud calls or lyrical songs for communication. Gaps between trees mean that some canopy animals fly, glide, or jump to move about in the treetops.

Scientists have long been interested in studying the canopy but because of the height of rainforest trees research has been difficult until recently. Today there are special facilities with rope bridges, ladders, and towers to help scientists discover the secrets of the canopy.

THE RAINFOREST FLOOR
The leaves of the canopy makes the ground layer of the rainforest is often a dark and humid place. However, despite its constant shade, the rainforest floor is an important part of the forest ecosystem.

The forest floor is where decomposition takes place. Decomposition is the process by which decomposers like fungi and microorganisms break down dead plants and animals and recycle essential materials and nutrients.

Many of the largest rainforest animals are found on the forest floor. Some of these include elephants, the tapir, and the jaguar.

Why are the rainforests at risk?
 
Agriculture and land development are the main causes of devastation. In addition, millions more hectares are being degraded through illegal logging and poor land use.
It is important to understand that deforestation occurs because it is in the financial interest of the people operating in the rainforests. Deforestation allows rural communities to practice agriculture. It allows the private sector to produce products and sell them on national and international markets. Rich countries who buy these products are also part of the deforestation problem as without their demands, there is no products.
Every year an area of rainforest the size of New Jersey is cut down and destroyed. The plants and animals that used to live in these forests either die or must find a new forest to call their home.

Why are rainforests being destroyed?

Humans are the main cause of rainforest destruction or deforestation. Humans are cutting down rainforests for many reasons, including:
• wood for both timber and wood for making fires;
• agriculture for both small and large farms;
• land for poor farmers who don't have anywhere else to live;
• grazing land for cattle; and
• road construction

LOGGING AND TIMBER HARVESTING IN THE RAINFOREST
One of the leading causes of rainforest destruction is logging. Many types of wood used for furniture, flooring, and construction are harvested from tropical forests in Africa, Asia, and South America. By buying certain wood products, people in places like the United States are directly contributing to the destruction of rainforests.

While logging can be carried out in a manner that reduces damage to the environment, most logging in the rainforest is very destructive. Large trees are cut down and dragged through the forest, while access roads open up remote forest areas to agriculture by poor farmers. In Africa logging workers often rely on "bushmeat" for protein. They hunt wildlife like gorillas, deer, and chimpanzees for food.

Research has found that the number of species found in logged rainforest is much lower than the number found in untouched primary rainforest. Many rainforest animals cannot survive in the changed environment.

Local people often rely on harvesting wood for rainforests for fire wood and building materials. In the past such practices were not particularly damaging to the ecosystem. However, today in areas with large human populations, the sheer number of people collecting wood from an area rainforest can be extremely damaging. For example the forests around the refugee camps in Central Africa (Rwanda and Congo) were virtually stripped of all trees in some areas.

AGRICULTURE IN THE RAINFOREST
Every year thousands of miles of rainforest are destroyed for agricultural use. The two main groups responsible for converting rainforest into farmland are poor farmers and corporations,

Poor farmers in many parts of the world rely on clearing rainforest to feed their families. Without access to better agricultural lands, these people use slash-and-burn to clear patches of forest for short-term periods of time. Typically, they farm the cleared land for a couple of years before the soil is exhausted of nutrients and they must move on to new patch of forest.

Agricultural companies are clearing more rainforest than ever before, especially in the Amazon where large tracts of rainforest are being converted into soybean farms. Some experts believe that South America will someday have an area of farmland that rivals that of the American Midwest. Much of this farmland will come at the expense of the Amazon rainforest.

CATTLE IN THE RAINFOREST
Clearing for cattle pasture is the leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon and Brazil now produces more beef than ever before. Besides raising cattle for food, many landowners use cattle to expand their land holdings. By simply placing cattle on an area of forest land, landowners can gain ownership rights to that land.

Why is it important to protect them?

Rainforests provide ecological balance to the planet and act as the lungs of the Earth. Rainforests support the livelihoods of 1.6 billion of the world's poorest people by providing food, fibre, water and medicines.

What can we do to protect them?

The solution must be based on what is feasible, not overly idealistic, and depends on developing a new conservation policy built on the principle of sustainable use and development of rainforests.
We believe that the following steps will help:
• Teach others about the importance of the environment and how they can help save rainforests.
• Restore damaged ecosystems by planting trees on land where forests have been cut down.
• Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't hurt the environment.
• Establish parks to protect rainforests and wildlife.
• Support companies that operate in ways that minimize damage to the environment.

What are the benefits of planting trees?

There are a multitude of benefits in planting trees in the rainforests.
• Fighting Poverty
• Provides decent job to the local community
• Stops Desertification
• Produce Fruits, Medicines, Food amongst other key commodities
• Regenerates the soil
• Increases land's productivity
• Absorbs CO2 levels
• Counteract Climate Change
• Counteract Deforestation

Did you know...?

• Every second 2,000 square meters of rainforest is destroyed (that's about half an acre), the equivalent of a football pitch every 4 seconds.
• Rainforests provide 28% of the world's oxygen. Without them, a number of species will die and our eco-system will become out of balance.
• At the current rate of deforestation, 75% of the Amazon will be depleted by 2030. Try explaining to your children how we let that one happen!