To understand why we should save the tropical rainforest and evaluate ways in which we can do this. Starter 5,4,3,2,1: • Name 5 animals found in the TRF • Name 4 Countries where TRFs are found • Name 3 ways in which humans are destroying the TRF • Name 2 impacts of the destruction • Name 1 way in which we could protect the TRF Where can you find an antelope the size of a rabbit, a snake that can fly, or a spider that eats birds? All in tropical rainforests, of course! Tropical rainforests are home to the largest and the smallest, the loudest and the quietest of all land animals, as well as some of the most dangerous, most beautiful, most endearing, and strangest looking animals on earth. The world’s ancient forests maintain essential environmental systems. They influence weather by controlling rainfall and evaporation of water from soil. They stabilise the climate by storing large amounts of carbon. The Carbon Cycle The Amazon jungle is the world's largest tropical rainforest. The forest covers the basin of the Amazon, the world's second longest river. The Amazon is home to the greatest variety of plants and animals on Earth. 1/5 of all the world's plants and birds and about 1/10 of all mammal species are found there. The world's rainforests are currently disappearing at a rate of 6000 acres every hour (this is about 4000 football fields per hour)! How many ‘football pitches’ of forest are destroyed per day? When these forests are cut down, the plants and animals that live in the forests are destroyed, and some species are at risk of being made extinct. Rainforests also provide us with many valuable medicinal plants, and may be a source of a cure from some deadly diseases. 2 words… Conservation Sustainable Development • What do these 2 words mean? • What is the difference between these words? Conservation The creation of nature reserves, where development is restricted is one way to prevent deforestation and maintain biodiversity for the future. Indigenous ways of life can also be preserved for future generations. In Brazil, the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI), is responsible for protecting land for use by indigenous peoples. But, it is unfeasible for governments to protect every piece of rainforest. Most rainforests are in developing nations. How can they afford to look after the rainforest? The people who live in the rainforest have much to teach us about rainforests. From them, we can learn important information about medicinal plants which they have used for centuries for their health and wellbeing. Forests can be managed without endangering rare species of plants and animals, and without risking global environmental damage. Companies should be made to plant new trees after they cut old trees down. We must be careful not to destroy the resources that people will need in the future. Many animals from the rainforests are brought to our country illegally, parrots and iguanas, for example. We should not buy these animals, since that encourages other people to bring in more animals. Groups of people who live in the world’s rainforests are beginning to fight for their land, usually through peaceful demonstrations. They are aware that taking action could lead to their arrest or even the loss of their lives, but they know that if they do nothing, the rainforest could be lost forever. The World Land Trust raises money to protect endangered rainforest. With every £25.00 collected, they can buy one acre of land. The Rainforest Café in London, is currently raising funds to buy its own large area of tropical forest . Ecotourism Ecotourism is an increasingly popular form of tourism in which tourists seek out wild and scenic areas such as rainforests or mountains for an active and educational trip. The tourists are usually from the North America, Europe or Australia/New Zealand; their destination is often in the developing world .Ecotourism has also become popular among people interested in both environmental conservation and sustainable development. It has been called a way to save the rainforest and a "win-win development strategy for undeveloped rural areas." Ecotourism • What benefits does it have? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0UGQC REe7I • Does it have any problems? http://youtu.be/5rBFTI9ZQ3k Sustainable logging What is the problems with normal logging? Watch these videos to explain how ‘sustainable logging’ is better…. http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/pl ayer/environment/going-greenenvironment/conservation-inaction/sustainable-logging.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6p3KrGXnU How can you make a living without logging? There are many rainforest products, like fruit and rubber, that can be collected in a renewable way. On a small scale, harvesting forest products can be more profitable in the long term than alternatives which destroy the forest, like subsistence agriculture or forestry. This use of resources is sustainable as it preserves the rainforest into the future whilst allowing people to improve their livelihoods. US-Brazil debt for nature swap to protect forests The United States and Brazil have signed an agreement converting $21m (£13.5m) of Brazilian debt into a fund to protect tropical ecosystems. Instead of paying back the debt, Brazil will use the money to conserve its Atlantic coastal rainforest, as well as the Cerrado and Caatinga ecosystems. All three are under threat from severe deforestation, but receive much less attention than the Amazon. NGOs and sustainability Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can be influential in sustainable development activities. The Rainforest Alliance, for instance, works closely with local people, other conservation groups and companies to ensure that practices are sustainable. The Rainforest Alliance is currently working with the global banana producer Chiquita. They are trying to ensure that they recycle waste, protect wildlife, reduce their use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and improve the living standards of workers. Sourcing sustainable products What can you do to encourage sustainable development in the rainforest? Buy sustainably produced items. Look for Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade symbols on products as these certify that production conditions were environmentally and socially sustainable. Items that can be sustainably produced in rainforests include: fruit and vegetables musical instruments tea, coffee and chocolate furniture. Plenary: • Which of the schemes learnt about today do you think would be the most effective and why? Opinions on sustainable development Leaf-cutter, or parasol ants, can rightfully be called the world’s first farmers. They climb trees up to 100-feet tall and cut out small pieces of leaves. They then carry these fragments, weighing as much as 50 times their body weight, back to their homes. Sometimes they need to travel 200 feet, equal to an average human walking about 6 miles with 5,000 pounds on his or her back! The forest floor is converted to a maze of busy highways full of these moving leaf fragments. These ants don’t eat the leaves they have collected, but instead bury them underground. The combination of leaves and substances that the ants produce such as saliva allows a type of fungus to grow. This fungus is the only food that they need to eat. The aye-aye is a primate. It has front teeth which grow continuously, like a rodent. It has a long flowing tail like a fox. It has naked ears like a bat, which he uses to find prey through echolocation. One of its fingers is extremely thin, and has a long claw for extracting insects from tree holes. Clavilla kills viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites The Amatto (lipstick) tree is used to cure snake bites, to treat high blood pressure and as an insect repellent Buenaventura – the richest ornithological site in south west Ecuador and also home to Puma, Ocelot and Howler Monkey. Rio Canande – home to Jaguar, Howler, Spider and Capuchin Monkey and numerous threatened and near threatened birds. Tapichalaca – home to the Jocotoco Antpitta, Spectacled Bear and Mountain Tapir, as well as nine globally threatened frogs and over 30 species of orchid found only in this reserve. Jorupe – supports more than 50 endemic birds. Utana – contains many endemic and threatened bird species, including Ochre-bellied Dove, Grey-headed Antbird and Ochraceous Attila. Yanacocha – the only location for the Critically Endangered Black-breasted Puffleg hummingbird and also home to Puma and Spectacled Bear. Yunguilla – The only location in the world for the critically endangered Pale-Headed Brush-Finch. Mountain gorillas live in groups that contain one or two adult males (ages 12 years or older, called silverbacks), several younger males (called blackbacks), adult females, juveniles and infants. Glossary • • • • • • species – group or type of animals global - worldwide endangered – in danger of extinction conserving – protecting, saving stabilise – keep the same extinct – died out