Save Our Rainforests!Isabela Fouts

What is a rainforest?

A rainforest is a type forest with a large amount of annual rain. There are two types of rainforests: tropical and temperate. Tropical rainforests are (obviously) closer to the tropics and temperate rainforests are found all over the world. However, tropical rainforests are more abundant than temperate rainforests.

Tropical Rainforests

A tropical rainforest is a warm, damp biome near the tropics. They are found in South America, Central America, Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia. Tropical rainforests are much warmer than temperate rainforests due to the sunlight striking the equator at a 90° angle causing year-round warmth. Their soil is very old and fragile.

Temperate Rainforests

A temperate rainforest is similar to a tropical rainforest in climate but their locations are different. They are found along the Pacific coast of the USA and Canada (from northern California to Alaska), in New Zealand, Tasmania, Chile, Ireland, Scotland and Norway. Contrary to tropical rainforests, temperate rainforests have very young and nutrient-rich soil.

Things to Keep in Mind

Rainforests (tropical and temperate) are one of the Earth’s most important oxygen sources

They help fight climate change/global warming

There are several plants that provide our medicines for several different sicknesses such as fever, fungal infections, stomach and intestine problems, respiratory problems, etc.

There may even be plants that can cure illnesses like cancer

SO WHAT?What people tend to think: “So what? Don’t worry, plants and animals will just die. We don’t need them.”In truth, we do need them. A whole bunch of our medicines come from the rainforests. Even medicines for “simple” illnesses (e.g.: fever) come from rainforest plants. If those plants die, herbivores and pollinators will die out; when the herbivores die out, carnivores will starve to death; once the carnivores are eaten by scavengers, the scavengers will starve and there goes the rainforest.

SO WHAT? (Part 2)

What people tend to think: “Can’t we just move them to a different area?”No, we can’t. For any organism, moving to a different climate is a huge shock and that shock can kill them. Even if we were to move all the plants and animals to a single rainforest, they would 1) Take up space that humans are already inhabiting and 2) Be taken down in the future anyway because of the expanding human population. One way or the other, rainforests will meet their demises if we move them.

TAKING ACTION: What can I do to save rainforests?

Inform others. With enough people, the cause for rainforests may start to get noticed

Contact a reporter. Published work can be seen by anyone and everyone.

Oppose ideas! If any new ideas or inventions are capable of damaging rainforests, make sure your thoughts are noticed!