RAINFORESTS & DEFORESTATION

1. RAINFORESTS & DEFORESTATION

2. Africa’s rainforests are disappearing. Original forest areas 2005 http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/deforestation.html

3. Threats to Congo rainforest gain speed

4. U.S. forest destruction http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/deforest/deforest.html

5. http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/deforestation.html

6. Why does it matter that forests worldwide are being cut down? And why are rainforests particularly important? http://www.developmentforafrica.org/news.shtml

7. http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6046708884_099df96ef3.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6046708884_099df96ef3.jpg golden cat  HABITAT LOSS:Loss of rainforest means animals are becoming endangered. western gorilla http://www.animalinfo.org/image/pan_pani2%2018.jpg African water shrew http://quizlet.com/1994211/tenrecs-flash-cards/ chimpanzee http://www.animalinfo.org/image/G%20g%20gori2%20jpg%2029.jpg

8. Rainforests are home to 50 to 70% of all life forms on Earth. bee eater http://www.worldbirder.com/photonew/xpages/photo.asp?PhotoID=4776 leopard http://planetbirds.blogspot.com/2011/05/great-blue-turaco.html gray parrot great blue turaco http://www.superstock.com/stock-photos-images/4094-12246 http://www.doityourself.com/stry/africangrey okapi http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0425-hance_camposarceiz_blake.html gorilla forest elephant http://www.joerl.se/uganda/index.html http://www.okapiconservation.org/conservation-program/okapi-ambassadors/

9.  MEDICAL IMPACT:Tropical rainforests are the best places for scientists to find plants that can be used to make medicines.

10. 37% of all medicines prescribed in the US have active ingredients that come from rainforest plants. For example, of the approximately 3,000 plants found to have cancer-fighting properties, 70% of them were found in the rainforest. (Reported by The National Cancer Institute)

11. Pharmacy companies send scientists to rainforests to collect plant specimens and then pay scientists big bucks $$$ to research ways to use them as medicines.

12. So as rainforest is destroyed, we lose plants – every day – that could be used to discover new medicines.

13.  WEATHER IMPACT:

14. The tropical rainforests are like giant "heatpumps" that sends heat and moisture from the tropics into the colder high latitudes – making it warmer & sending rain. http://ecksteineagles.org/6b-ss/2009/12/16/africa-map/

15. Original forest areas 2005 http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/deforestation.html

16. Rain forests help produce rainfall in nearby countries. Destruction of rainforests in West African countries may have caused actually two decades of drought in other parts of Africa. Drought hurts farming, and that meant many people starved. -- National Geographic, “Deforestation & Desertification” http://www.nationalgeographic.com/eye/deforestation/effect.html http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2005/05/24/science/24clim.1.html

17. So if it’s such a big problem, why do they keep cutting it down?

18. 1. FarmingThese African mountains used to be covered with forests. Now they are covered with small farm plots. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Deforestation/deforestation_update3.php

19. Cleared rainforest soil is notgreat for farming. So families clear more and more land to try and grow enough. http://openheartorphanage.cfsites.org/custom.php?pageid=42211

20. What helps? http://smallfarmersjournal.com/congo-farm-project-from-starvation-to-sustainability • Make naturalfertilizer so small farms grow more. • Teach irrigation with water conservation. This Congo farmer uses mulch to keep the hot sun from drying out the soil. Compost is free – made from food trash – and helps crops grow. http://healingtraumaindrcongo.blogspot.com/2010/03/mumosho-part-i.html

21. 2. Wood for fuel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Selling_fuelwood.jpeg

22. Families that cook over an open fire burn about 15 pounds of wood/day. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/5709553430/ http://www.endingextremepoverty.org/2008/12/page/2/

23. http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2010/01/31/fuel_project_counters_gorilla_threat/http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2010/01/31/fuel_project_counters_gorilla_threat/ “Bio bricks” made from recycled paper & other trash burn better and cleaner than wood. What helps? • Make better fuel sources. • Use simple ovens (instead of open fires). • Create firewood “farms.” Simple, small, clay ovens hold heat better & conserve fuel. http://charcoalproject.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/kivu-stove-3.jpg “Firewood farms plant cheap trees that grow fast. When these are used for firewood, forest trees are preserved. http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4127/4997788178_910f6334a6_z.jpg

24. 3. Logging Legal and illegal logging destroys large areas of Congo rainforest. Most of the wood is sold in Europe. http://news.mongabay.com/2005/1205-congo.html http://earthhopenetwork.net/Illegal_Loggers_Mutilating_Congolese_Forests.htm

25. What helps? • Enforce logging laws. (Stop illegal logging.) • Get international buyers to buy only “certified” wood. http://www.forestsmonitor.org/fr/capacity_building_congo Authorities check to make sure the logging company is only cutting trees old enough to be legally cut. http://www.prlog.org/10505431-fsc-and-rainforest-alliance-certified-logos.jpg

26. Deforestation slowing – some. http://www.cleanbiz.asia/sites/default/files/Annual_change_in_rainforest_area_1990-2010_on_background.jpg

27. There’s one major “issue” I haven’t mentioned that makes things difficult in the Dem. Republic of the Congo. Listen for that issue in this 9 minute video. (And why do you suppose I didn’t mention it?) Jiko Stoves.mp4 (9:15)