Rainforest conservation advocates are working to preserve the species of plants and animals that live there, especially those that have yet to be discovered by scientists. For example, the Amazon basin is home to 8,235,430 km2 of dense tropical forest that covers parts of Brazil and Peru. Much of this area is unexplored and contains many living organisms that we have yet to discover. Environmentalists fear that undiscovered species may go extinct long before we have a chance to study them due to a growing problem called deforestation.
Illegal logging has greatly affected the natural climate of the Amazon. A rapid deforestation frenzy fueled by greed for soy, charcoal and livestock production is responsible for cutting down up to 17% of the Amazon rainforest cover. That’s not the worst, studies report that changes in land cover caused by deforestation have actually increased over the past decade. The more trees that are removed, the greater the change in water circulation patterns in the world, not to mention the negative impact on wildlife and vegetation left in the area.
“Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Da Silva said the drought was related to record sea temperatures in the southwest Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, which also contributed to the record Atlantic hurricane season for the year. But the destruction of the rainforest by illegal loggers has also been cited as a cause, as rivers choke on silt washed away by stripped land. Ecologist Carlos Rittl said continued tree removal was a crucial factor. in drying up a region that has already lost 17% of its forest cover. ”Science shows that 50% of the rain comes from trees that recycle water through evaporation, generating more rain. you lose the trees, you lose the rain. It can’t go on like this, ‘he said. ” News source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/jul/17/brazil.topstories3
Due to the size of the Amazon rainforest shear, it literally drives climate systems around the world. as more and more trees are removed. Weather systems deviate from their regular paths, resulting in too much (storms) or too little rain (drought) in other parts of the world.
Widespread deforestation is a global problem and it will take all of us to work together to stop it. There are two ways to contribute to the cause. You can adopt a tree to ensure its protection for the next 30 years or promote an increase in the population of trees and shrubs in your own community.
A non-profit organization called Treems is a web-based organization that ensures the protection of any rainforest tree that is adopted by one of its clients. You can help protect the rainforest from the comfort of your home, simply go to their website (use the link above) and choose the tree or trees from your maps that you would like to adopt. Your donation goes towards ensuring the protection of the trees you have chosen for the next 30 years. Your tree will be protected by three different lines of defense in addition to Treems’ personal guarantee. The three lines of defense are:
- Land leases to ensure control of the property on which your tree is located.
- Active Rangers patrolling the area to report suspicious activity.
- A satellite monitoring system that provides real-time updates to track any major changes to your tree.
The Treems organization relies so much on their tree protection systems that they guarantee 100% protection for your tree. If something happens to your adopted tree, they will transfer your protection efforts to another tree at no additional cost to you. You can check this service at http://www.treems.com
The other place you can contribute is in your own backyard. Research shows that an increase in tree populations in urban areas in recent years is contributing to massive energy savings and other benefits for urban communities. You can read more about the benefits of planting trees by following the “plant trees” link below. If we all do our part to take care of nature a little, the climate is located in the Amazon or in your own backyard, eventually everyone will get the message that as our trees survive, so do we.