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The Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest originated approximately originated approximately 100 million years ago. At 100 million years ago. At that time they were the that time they were the most common found most common found forest type. Most of the forest type. Most of the worlds plant and animal worlds plant and animal species live in the species live in the rainforest there's about rainforest there's about 50,000 species per 50,000 species per square mile. Its always square mile. Its always the same weather in the the same weather in the Amazon humid and hot. It Amazon humid and hot. It rains everyday, but these rains everyday, but these are not just showers they are not just showers they are very strong, short are very strong, short bursts of very heavy rain.bursts of very heavy rain.

The purpose of this The purpose of this presentation is to help you presentation is to help you understand the rainforest and understand the rainforest and the threat that it is now the threat that it is now facing.facing.

There is a lot of concern about the rate of which the destruction of the Amazon There is a lot of concern about the rate of which the destruction of the Amazon rainforest is happening. I disagree with all types of mining and logging because rainforest is happening. I disagree with all types of mining and logging because they are bad for the environment. Every second one and a half acres of they are bad for the environment. Every second one and a half acres of rainforest is lost, long ago the rainforests covered 14% of the worlds land rainforest is lost, long ago the rainforests covered 14% of the worlds land surface but know they only cover a tiny 6%. surface but know they only cover a tiny 6%.

Experts say that we are losing up to 137 plant, animal and insect species every Experts say that we are losing up to 137 plant, animal and insect species every day. I would argue that without the many types of trees and plants many cures day. I would argue that without the many types of trees and plants many cures for diseases will be lost and most of the modern day drugs that we use will be for diseases will be lost and most of the modern day drugs that we use will be gone forever. gone forever.

There were an estimated ten million Indians living in the Amazon rainforest five There were an estimated ten million Indians living in the Amazon rainforest five centuries ago but know there are only 20,000 with all of them gone years of centuries ago but know there are only 20,000 with all of them gone years of knowledge of the medicines of rainforest speciesknowledge of the medicines of rainforest species has vanished.

More than half the worlds 10 million species of plants animals and insects live in the rainforest these will all be lost.

Most worrying of all, is the fact that it is affecting the whole world and yet most of us aren’t doing anything to cause it. If we do cut down the whole rainforest there will only be half the oxygen than there is at present.

At rainforest rescue we try to save and conserve the rainforest in numerous At rainforest rescue we try to save and conserve the rainforest in numerous ways. We have members and headquarters across the world but we are ways. We have members and headquarters across the world but we are mainly based in and around the Amazon rainforest. At the moment most of mainly based in and around the Amazon rainforest. At the moment most of our work has been very successful and we are working in partnership with our work has been very successful and we are working in partnership with other companies. So far this week we have caught about 150-200 illegal other companies. So far this week we have caught about 150-200 illegal loggers, we will be taking them to court and hopefully getting them a large loggers, we will be taking them to court and hopefully getting them a large fine and a jail sentence. However we cannot stop some of the people fine and a jail sentence. However we cannot stop some of the people because they have special passes that allow them to chop down the trees. because they have special passes that allow them to chop down the trees. With your help, we could put an end to the destruction of the rainforest and With your help, we could put an end to the destruction of the rainforest and keep it looking great for the many generations to come. keep it looking great for the many generations to come.

The Amazon rainforest is a beautiful place, one of the most beautiful ancient The Amazon rainforest is a beautiful place, one of the most beautiful ancient biomes you could find on this planet. It is located in and around Brazil as can biomes you could find on this planet. It is located in and around Brazil as can be seen in the map below. It is very big, compared to the many other be seen in the map below. It is very big, compared to the many other rainforests around the world. The Amazon rainforest is in fact so big it’s rainforests around the world. The Amazon rainforest is in fact so big it’s equivalent to the size of Europe.equivalent to the size of Europe.

The Amazon rainforest is shared by nine countries as can The Amazon rainforest is shared by nine countries as can be seen in the above map, these countries are: Brazil, be seen in the above map, these countries are: Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Venezuela, Suriname, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana and Guiana. You can see that most of the French Guiana and Guiana. You can see that most of the rainforest is in Brazil. rainforest is in Brazil.

Deforestation is a serious problem. As we speak right now, trees are being Deforestation is a serious problem. As we speak right now, trees are being chopped down. Whole areas of rainforest are being completely wiped out. chopped down. Whole areas of rainforest are being completely wiped out. Approximately 30 acres of trees are being cut down every minute. Half of the Approximately 30 acres of trees are being cut down every minute. Half of the worlds plant and animal species live in the many rainforests of the world. The worlds plant and animal species live in the many rainforests of the world. The reasons for deforestation are listed below:reasons for deforestation are listed below:

•Commercial loggingCommercial logging

•A way out of debtA way out of debt

•Government needs money to help the country developGovernment needs money to help the country develop

•People in rich countries are willing to pay for expensive furniturePeople in rich countries are willing to pay for expensive furniture The effect of deforestation is another reason for Global Warming, because the The effect of deforestation is another reason for Global Warming, because the less trees there are, results in less oxygen for us and more pollution.less trees there are, results in less oxygen for us and more pollution.

Deforestation has now Deforestation has now become a worldwide become a worldwide problem. Too many trees problem. Too many trees are being cut down day are being cut down day by day we are losing the by day we are losing the Amazon rainforest. It is Amazon rainforest. It is one of the most ancient one of the most ancient biomes and has been biomes and has been there for 1000’s of years there for 1000’s of years but at the rate its being but at the rate its being cut down it won’t last for cut down it won’t last for more than 40 years. more than 40 years. Without all of the trees we Without all of the trees we will only have half the will only have half the oxygen that we breathe in oxygen that we breathe in daily. daily.

The Brazilian community must The Brazilian community must be desperate for money if they be desperate for money if they have to resort to destroying the have to resort to destroying the world, so it is partly our fault for world, so it is partly our fault for not recognising their needs and not recognising their needs and helping them. If this continues helping them. If this continues then the consequences will be then the consequences will be great and we (The human race) great and we (The human race) will suffer. WE NEED TO GET will suffer. WE NEED TO GET IT TO STOP AND THE IT TO STOP AND THE SOONER THE BETTER!!!!!SOONER THE BETTER!!!!!

Deforestation is a huge devastation for us but imagine the impact it has on Deforestation is a huge devastation for us but imagine the impact it has on the local Amerindians. The multi million businesses are destroying there the local Amerindians. The multi million businesses are destroying there homes and changing there lives forever. I personally don’t know any homes and changing there lives forever. I personally don’t know any Amerindians but I probably couldn’t imagine how scared they are. The Amerindians but I probably couldn’t imagine how scared they are. The Amerindians are very isolated people, they keep themselves away from Amerindians are very isolated people, they keep themselves away from the hectic, busy people of today's world, but they have to live with miners the hectic, busy people of today's world, but they have to live with miners and loggers who bring in heavy machinery to destroy the environment in and loggers who bring in heavy machinery to destroy the environment in which they live. which they live.

Cattle ranching is also a huge problem, local farmers who produce food Cattle ranching is also a huge problem, local farmers who produce food and dairy items to feed their families or maybe to sell them are pushed off and dairy items to feed their families or maybe to sell them are pushed off the land they own by rich businesses like Macdonald’s. They will then cut the land they own by rich businesses like Macdonald’s. They will then cut down a few acres of trees or maybe a hectare so they have space for the down a few acres of trees or maybe a hectare so they have space for the cattle. However they did not realise that the daily dose of heavy rainfall cattle. However they did not realise that the daily dose of heavy rainfall would soon wash away the topsoil and take all the nutrients out of the would soon wash away the topsoil and take all the nutrients out of the ground. ground.

There are many ways in which There are many ways in which we can help keep the Amazon we can help keep the Amazon rainforest, most of these are rainforest, most of these are listed below:listed below:

•Use less paperUse less paper

•Recycle our Christmas cards Recycle our Christmas cards and paper in General.and paper in General.

•Try to go by the scheme Try to go by the scheme reduce, re-use and recyclereduce, re-use and recycle

•Cut down on carbon Cut down on carbon emissionsemissions

•Try not to buy wood furniture Try not to buy wood furniture the more demand for the more demand for something the more it is something the more it is produced.produced.

Well that’s probably most of the Well that’s probably most of the ways that we can help but just ways that we can help but just remember would your generation remember would your generation liked to be remembered for doing liked to be remembered for doing this:this:

Or for conserving its Or for conserving its beauty and keeping it like beauty and keeping it like thisthis

There are millions of different types of insect and Animals in the rainforest, here is an activity you can do (click on the pen icon to draw lines or click to watch them move)

gratuitous monkeyrainforest parrotRed eye tree frog Montane chameleon

: “I don’t know what to do soon enough my home will be destroyed : “I don’t know what to do soon enough my home will be destroyed and I will be left in a desolate wasteland, how will I care for my family, and I will be left in a desolate wasteland, how will I care for my family, will I have to live with the busy people of Brazil, how will we survive will I have to live with the busy people of Brazil, how will we survive with no forest!” with no forest!”

: “ We need the money to help the country revolutionize, without it : “ We need the money to help the country revolutionize, without it poverty and illness will haunt the streets forever, some people have to poverty and illness will haunt the streets forever, some people have to be sacrificed to save all of the others, but that’s a risk that we are be sacrificed to save all of the others, but that’s a risk that we are going to have to take, we cant help it if they live in the place that has going to have to take, we cant help it if they live in the place that has all the trees. All I’m concerned about is when we get the money and all the trees. All I’m concerned about is when we get the money and how.” how.”

:” I need the money to help keep the family in good shape, if :” I need the money to help keep the family in good shape, if anything happens to me while doing this job, or they make anything happens to me while doing this job, or they make logging illegal then our family will have no income, we will have logging illegal then our family will have no income, we will have no money and will not be able to buy the basic needs, my whole no money and will not be able to buy the basic needs, my whole life revolves around this job.”life revolves around this job.”

: “I need to cattle ranch and if a big company like MacDonald's : “I need to cattle ranch and if a big company like MacDonald's comes along then I’ll surely be out of business, I’m constantly comes along then I’ll surely be out of business, I’m constantly under threat of going completely bankrupt or even into under threat of going completely bankrupt or even into massive debt.” massive debt.”

: “I think that we should keep the rainforest for many : “I think that we should keep the rainforest for many reasons. It is a naturally beautiful place that is just jaw reasons. It is a naturally beautiful place that is just jaw dropping when you see it, It’s not just there for its natural dropping when you see it, It’s not just there for its natural beauty it also helps us cut down on our carbon emissions, beauty it also helps us cut down on our carbon emissions, without it there will just be a baron, empty, lifeless without it there will just be a baron, empty, lifeless wasteland. If we carry on we will lose far more than we wasteland. If we carry on we will lose far more than we will have gained, we must put an end to the destruction will have gained, we must put an end to the destruction now, one way or another.” now, one way or another.”

This slide show was produced by:This slide show was produced by:

For all of you adventures out there For all of you adventures out there please try this tour and discover please try this tour and discover many amazing facts about the many amazing facts about the Amazon rainforest.Amazon rainforest.

Virtual tour

A valued member of rainforest A valued member of rainforest rescue rescue

Soundtrack from the forest canopy

I hope that this slide show has I hope that this slide show has prompted you into action, and has prompted you into action, and has brought to your attention the fact that brought to your attention the fact that time is running out if we want to save time is running out if we want to save the rainforest. the rainforest.