Deforestation 2 Essay, Research Paper

A decade ago the rain forests seldom came up in every day conversation. Today the tropical woodland is the theme and setting for popular movies such as the Medicine Man, and Arachnophobia. In addition there is an International restaurant chain called the Rain Forest Caf , the caf has a rain forest theme, and is located in such countries as the United States, England, and Australia. The Rain Forest Cafe actually donates a percentage of their profits toward rain forest conservation. Rain forests are one of the most beautiful, important, and complex ecosystems on the planet. There are ten billion acres of forest that exist on the earth today (Miller and Tangley xv). A forest is classified as a rain forest when it has from about 80 to 120 inches of rainfall a year (Gay 1). The coloring of some animals acts as protection from other animals. Year round the rain forest maintains nearly a perfect temperature of 75 80 degrees Fahrenheit (Gay 8).

Due to the rain forest climate the forests contain the most diversity of plants and animals on earth. Another reason for the forests having the most diversity on earth might be that rain forests are the oldest ecosystems on earth. It would probably take only a few hours of poking around in a rain forest to find an insect unknown to science. The tropical rain forests usually have three to five layers of plant life, with the canopies being the upper layer of trees. The vast canopies in the rain forest protect many of the plants and animals; therefore, the animals in the forest do not have to worry about freezing, or finding shade on hot summer days. The canopies also provide homes for thousands of insects and animals in the rain forest. The immense trunks from the tropical trees provide homes for millions of insects and animals. Most tropical forests are in the warm, wet areas ten degrees on either side of the equator, where they flourish best (Gay 8). Due to the widespread effects of deforestation, the medicines yet to be found in the forest will remain undiscovered, and the global warming, polluted air, and damaging weather patterns will only continue to increase.

Tropical rain forests cover a very small portion of the world, yet contain at least half of all plant and animal species (Gay 8). This however does not include the millions of insects that live in the forests. Scientists believe that of the 20 million species of plants and animals identified, there are still another 30 million unidentified deep in the rain forests (Chadwick and Sartore 17).

More than half of all the plant species in the rain forests are trees. The rate of deforestation has risen since the 1500 s, and more plant and animal species have died each year. An area of 125,000 square miles disappears every year, and along with it thousands of plant and animal species that will never be seen again (Richardson 106). When rain forests are cut down, the large animals of the forests, such as leopards and apes have a tough time surviving in smaller habitats. This is one of the major factors in the extinction of the animals in the rain forests. The possible usefulness of forest materials to medicine, agriculture, and industry has only just begun to be explored. At a snap of the fingers, an acre of tropical rain forest literally disappears (Gay 11). In spite of the fact that forest products are very useful to humans, less than 50 percent of the original tropical rain forests remain (Vandermeer and Perfecto10). At this rate of deforestation, all tropical rain forests will be gone in a very short amount of time.

Tropical rain forests that are being cut down at an alarming rate have many uses in every day life, but are more useful left alone. Every year 12 million acres of tropical rain forests are cut down for logging, farming, cattle ranching, mining, timber, and other wood products (Tangley 69). This is an outrage to many people that hear about the forests being cut down, but not many people do anything to help correct the problem. The tropical rain forest wood is converted to charcoal to fuel steel and brick factories, and cement plants. The fruits and berries from the forests are exported to and imported by many nations worldwide. If people do not look toward the future now and stop deforestation, then all will be lost in the tropical rain forests.

Deforestation is a direct result of many forces in the world that cannot be changed overnight, but there is a growing awareness of the importance of the tropical rain forests. Less than 5 million acres of tropical rain forests are protected in parks and wilderness areas (Gay 8). Numerous environmental groups worldwide call for boycotts of rainforest timber in order to slow down forest devastation (Mitchell 23). If people do not act now, then the world will never be able to slow down the destruction of rain forests. Violations by loggers are frequent and because of the few government monitors, loggers illegally cut down many acres every year. No law specifically protects endangered forests, so laws to save endangered species are used to save the forests. Federal laws allow logging on the remaining 3.3 million acres that belong to lumber companies and other private owners (Gay 12). In order to stop rain forest destruction logging has to be shut down in tropical rain forests.

Rain forests are important to mediate climate, and contribute to the stability of worldwide weather patterns. The rain forests recycle the rainfall they receive; this protects areas downstream from droughts, floods, and destruction of valuable land. Forests are crucial in the cycling of the six basic elements carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, phosphorous, and sulfur that make up 95 percent of the world s living matter (Gay 4). If rain forests are completely destroyed, then the clean air, and the earth s precious elements will diminish. Many scientists theorize that deforestation greatly increases the problem with global warming (Gay 23). Some of the effects of global warming could include an alteration of wind and heat patterns, and rainfall. If the earth warms, polar ice caps could melt, resulting in sea level rise, which would flood many coastal areas, including some along United States coasts (Gay 23). The effects of global warming would be far worse than any natural disaster. The constant cutting of rain forests has caused numerous species to become extinct and many to become endangered. Extinction is supposed to happen naturally. It is believed that species like the dinosaurs died off because they failed to adapt to their changing environment. The lives of animal species are being threatened daily in the rain forests because of all the tree s being cut down. Clear-cutting has been a major factor in controversies over the loss of wildlife habitats, particularly that of endangered species (Gay 7). Due to clear-cutting, many endangered species are lost each year. Humans must share the earth with all other plants and animals, otherwise human dominance will result in the extinction of many more plant and animal species.

The rain forests are also home to many ancient indigenous cultures. These groups organize their lives differently than Americans. Everything they need to survive, food, medicines, and clothing come from the rain forests. Tribes that have acres of land grow their crops using shifting cultivation, so that the land is not over used. These tribes use machetes and fire to clear the land to grow potatoes, bananas, and other crops. The children are taught to hunt, fish, and find which plants are useful as medicines and food. Medical researchers are turning to ancient rain forest cultures, where traditional medicines may hold new cures for modern diseases (Richardson 13). Due to the extensive deforestation, many indigenous cultures and lives of tribal members have been threatened, and will continue to be threatened if the clear-cutting is not stopped. Indigenous groups are beginning to fight for their land; however, these actions may cause them to be arrested or to lose their lives.

Tropical rain forests have given the world some of the most important pharmaceuticals in the past, and they still remain a potential site for new discovery. Aspirins, malaria drugs, birth control pills, and heart disease treatments are a few of the widely used medicines that have come from the rain forests (Richardson 12). Nearly one-fourth of all pharmaceuticals that Americans use were originally derived from tropical plants, which provided the chemicals for processing synthetic drugs (Gay 10). If the rain forests are cut down many valuable medicines and cures may be lost forever. Less than 1 percent of the worlds 265,000 flowering plants, have been tested for their effectiveness against disease (Hallowell 18). Nearly one quarter of all prescription drugs that are sold in the United States are derived from 40 rain forest plant species (Hallowell 18). No matter how small or obscure a species, it could one day be of direct aid to all of us (U.S. 2). This is why many researchers and institutions are racing to study as many of the rain forest species of plants possible before they are destroyed.

If the quick rate at which the rain forests are being destroyed is not slowed down or stopped, in no time the rain forests will be gone forever. The rain forest may be the most vital key to survival on the earth. With the medicines, beautiful species of plants and animals, and the many cultures that live in the forests, why would anyone want to destroy the greatest ecosystem on the planet? The effects of deforestation are drastic. Deforestation is responsible for the destruction of forest products such as fruits, nuts, and medical plants. How many of those extinct species could have provided for a cure for AIDS, a substitute for petroleum, or a new food source? (Richardson 13) The destruction of rain forests also threatens thousands of ancient indigenous cultures. If tropical rain forests are wiped off the face of the earth, their uses will never be discovered. So little is yet known about tropical rain forest diversity that uncontrollable extinction s could take place as a result of human activities before anything can be done to stop them.