School Stuff

Rainforests

·         Climate

The climate of the rainforest becomes drier with the loss of the vegetation cover, which acts as a sponge to hold on to the moisture, having less cloud cover results in the increase of temperatures. The burning of the trees and their reduction in number increases the concentration of carbon dioxide.

·         Loss of habitation 

Deforestation has resulted in the loss of thousands of species of insects, animals and plants because their habitats have been destroyed.

·         Water pollution

   Chemicals used for mining, somehow find their way into the rivers, this resulting in the water becoming polluted, also killing the animals that live in it, (etc. fishes); and killing other animals that feed on them it also reduces the water supply that local people depend on. 

   Why are the rainforests so valuable?

    Medicines

   More than 25% of our modern medicines are originated from rainforest plants. For example:

·         Periwinkle-found in Madagascar: to cure leukaemia

·           Anti-malaria drug quinine-taken from bark of the Andean cinchona tree

·         Rauwolfia shrub in Asian and African forests: to cure high blood pressure and mental illnesses.

   Rainforests and the native populations who discovered these medicines could hold the cure to many more diseases if only we could look after the rainforests and allow their people to show us. 

   Prevent Soil Erosion

   Soil in the rainforest is very poor in nutrients, this is because the nutrients are stored in vast numbers of trees and plants rather than in the soil. When a tree dies, it’s trunk falls to the forest floor, it decays and the nutrients it contains are recycled; but if trees are removed from the forest, the nutrients are also removed, along with the protection provided by the tree roots and forest canopy. The unprotected soil is then simply washed away in heavy rain, causing blockages and floods in lowland rivers while leaving upland rivers dry.

   Absorbing carbon dioxide

   Rainforests are often called lungs of the planet because of their role in absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen upon which all animals and plants depend on for survival. Rainforests also stabilize climate, house incredible amounts of plants and wildlife and produce nourishing rainfall all around the planet.

  Food and products

  Many foods we consume today such as nuts, bananas, coffee and spices also industrial products such as rubber, resins and fibres were originated in tropical rainforests.

   Habitat for plants and animals

   Tropical rainforests are believed to contain over 30 million species of plants and animals. That’s about half of the worlds wildlife and one third of its plant species. One hectare of lowland rainforest may contain up to 1000 trees with up to 300 species. These plants provide food and shelter for many animals that depend on the rainforest for their survival. There are many more rainforest plants and animals to be discovered! 

   How can the rainforest be used in a sustainable way?

  Saving the rainforest is not going to be easy but the good thing is that there are many people who want to save the rainforest.

  Five basic steps to saving rainforests:

  Teach others about the importance of the environment       and how they can save it.

  Restore damaged ecosystems by planting trees on land where forests were 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.

  Support organizations that help to save rainforests like:

  ·         Rainforest Action Network

  ·         Fairtrade

  ·         STARO- Save The Amazon Rainforest Organization

  And many others.

  Recycling is the easiest way to go, if you have bottles or cans, take them to your local recycling centre. If your school doesn’t recycle it’s paper waste, ask your teacher if you can get one to help save the rainforest. It can be a class project!

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   Fairtrade is the perfect excuse to each chocolate so come on! go out and buy some!! Enjoy the lovely snack and save the rainforest at the same time.

  Abz xxx