Rainforests are being cleared more and more around the world, and the consequences are drastic. With the deforestation, not only plants and living creatures disappear, but also many other essential things, such as the air we breathe every day.
Tropical forests are treasure troves
Tropical forests stretch across the planet's landmasses around the equator. They are complex biotopes that are still largely inaccessible to humans and thus far from fully explored. This means that the full benefits of rainforests for our planet are still unknown. However, based on our current knowledge, there are already many good reasons to preserve rainforests.
- Home of animals and plants
- Pharmaceutical Treasury
- climate regulator
- Water reservoir
Rainforests are home to approximately two-thirds of the Earth's animal and plant species. We are far from knowing all the species that thrive under tropical canopies, but already a quarter of all medicines are made from substances belonging to the flora of tropical rainforests.
Globally, the rainforest plays a key role in stabilizing the climate and groundwater. Rainforests bind CO2, which is released during slash-and-burn agriculture and thus contributes to global warming. The extent to which the rainforest influences the Gulf Stream cannot yet be determined. One thing is certain: without the wetlands at the equator, Europe would be unpleasantly cold. Climate change caused by the disappearance of the tropical forest would be disastrous.
In addition, enough water seeps into the soils of the rainforests to feed the aquifers hundreds of kilometers away: the tropical rainforests of Africa feed the springs of the Egyptian oases right up to the Mediterranean coast!
The wealth of the rainforest benefits us all
In addition to their biodiversity and importance for the global climate, tropical forests are true treasure troves. Our everyday lives are full of products that we owe to the rainforest. These include spices, tropical fruits like mangoes and papayas, and even products like coffee and cocoa!
And rubber, palm oil and tropical woods are also an integral part of people’s lives in industrialized countries.
Added to this is the pharmaceutical use of the "rainforest pharmacy," where new plants with medicinal properties are discovered every year. Hidden deep within the tropical forests are likely plants that contain remedies for currently incurable diseases. With the decline of the rainforests, we are destroying undiscovered potential for future generations. And we should not forget that there are still people living in and with the tropical forest—indigenous cultures with customs and languages that are sometimes thousands of years old, which are disappearing along with the rainforest. Even though they are worthy of protection as part of human cultural heritage.
Rainforest under attack: This is how much rainforest disappears every year
More than 13 million square kilometers of the continent are still covered by tropical rainforests. On the positive side, deforestation is occurring less rapidly today than it did a few years ago. Nevertheless, more than 60,000 square kilometers of rainforest are lost every year. With it, the habitat of the people and animals who previously made their living here also disappears.
The causes of the destruction
The causes of deforestation are diverse. Among the worst causes are clearing for pastureland and the cultivation of feed for intensive livestock farming. But clearing for the establishment of palm oil plantations is also a cause of forest destruction. The presence of mineral resources beneath the forest floor often seals the fate of forest stands. And of course, it's not just large corporations and industries, but also small farmers who are encroaching on the rainforest in search of a livelihood.
The consequences of clear-cutting
With every piece of tropical forest that disappears, deforestation progresses further. This not only leads to the extinction of numerous species, but also disrupts the global climate and impacts the planet's water cycle. After large-scale deforestation, the risk of soil erosion, droughts, and floods increases, and landslides become more frequent. Therefore, protecting the rainforest concerns us all. All of humanity depends on the tropical forest, the lungs of the Earth. And everyone can make a contribution. Even small changes in our own consumption habits help reduce the strain on our planet's natural resources. This is not difficult and is often even accompanied by an improved quality of life.
Protecting forests: What everyone can do
For example, when it comes to conscious grocery shopping – if you buy from local producers in season, such as at the market or from a farmer, you get high-quality products, often without plastic packaging and in many cases from controlled cultivation. Whether it's fruit and vegetables or organic meat, you can taste the difference! And, incidentally, you're opting out of global logistics that ships food around the world, with horrendous CO2 emissions.
If you go one step further, you can leave the car at home, cycle, or walk, doing something good for your health and the rainforest. In any case, don't fill up with biofuel!
You can also reduce your own paper consumption by switching to recycled products or alternative paper. Not all alternatives are unsightly gray anymore! It goes without saying that we should avoid plastic as much as possible, and it's even more fun with pretty fabric bags that you can even wash!
Actively contribute to reforestation
Deforestation of rainforests is not an end in itself. Numerous organizations around the world are working to counteract the loss of tropical forests by planting trees. In the Sierra del Lacandón National Park, for example, 33,000 hectares of rainforest were reforested through donations. Biodiversity monitoring and the deployment of forest rangers can protect such areas and thus slow down their destruction. The most effective way to ensure long-term rainforest protection is through the involvement of local organizations and the development of new sources of income for the residents of the affected areas.
At NIKIN, we're committed to protecting forests. In collaboration with our partner OneTreePlanted, we plant a tree for every purchase in our online shop!
