More and more rainforest is being cleared worldwide - the consequences are drastic. Because with the forest not only plants and living creatures disappear, but also many other existential things, such as the air we breathe every day.
More and more rainforest is being cleared worldwide - the consequences are drastic. Because with the forest not only plants and living creatures disappear, but also many other existential things, such as the air we breathe every day.
Tropical forests are treasure troves
Tropical forests stretch around the equator across the planet's land masses. They are complex biotopes that are still barely accessible to humans in many areas and are thus far from being fully explored. This also means that it is not yet possible to fully appreciate what the rainforest does for our planet. However, there are plenty of good reasons to preserve rainforests, given our current state of knowledge.
- Home to animals and plants
- Pharmaceutical treasury
- Climate regulator
- Water reservoir
Rainforests are home to about two thirds of the animal and plant species on our planet. We are still far from knowing all the species that thrive under tropical canopies, but already a quarter of all medicines are made from substances that belong to the flora of tropical rainforests.
Globally, the rainforest is instrumental in stabilising the climate and groundwater. Rainforests bind CO2, which is released during slash-and-burn agriculture and thus contributes to global warming. To what extent the rainforest influences the Gulf Stream cannot yet be determined. One thing is certain - without the wetlands on the equator, it would be uncomfortably cold in Europe. Climate change caused by the disappearance of tropical forests would be disastrous.
Moreover, enough water seeps into the soils of the rainforests to feed the water-bearing strata hundreds of kilometres away: the tropical rainforests of Africa nourish the springs of the Egyptian oases until just before the Mediterranean coast!
The wealth of the rainforest benefits us all
Besides their biodiversity and importance for the global climate, tropical forests are true treasure troves. Our everyday life is full of products that we owe to the rainforest. Among them are spices, tropical fruits like mangoes and papayas, but also products like coffee and cocoa!
And rubber, palm oil or tropical woods are also an integral part of the lives of people in industrialised countries.
In addition, there is the pharmaceutical use of the "rainforest pharmacy", where new plants are discovered every year that can be used medicinally. The depths of the tropical forests presumably conceal plants that contain remedies for diseases that are as yet incurable. With the decline of the rainforests, we are destroying undiscovered potential for future generations. And it should not be forgotten that there are still people living in and with the tropical forest - indigenous cultures with customs and languages that are in part thousands of years old and that are disappearing along with the rainforest. Although they would be worth protecting as part of the human cultural heritage.
Rainforest under attack: This is how much rainforest disappears every year
More than 13 million square kilometres of the continental surface are still covered by tropical rainforests. On the positive side, the destruction of the forests is happening less rapidly today than it was a few years ago. But still: more than 60,000 square kilometres of rainforest are lost every year. This also means that the home of the people and animals who previously made their living here is disappearing.
The causes of the destruction
The causes of deforestation are manifold. Among the worst culprits is clearing for grazing land and fodder cultivation for factory farming. But clearing for the establishment of palm oil plantations is also a cause of forest destruction. The presence of mineral resources under the forest floor also often seals the fate of forest stands. And of course, it is not only large corporations and industries, but also small farmers who are attacking the rainforest in search of a livelihood.
The consequences of clear cutting
With every piece of tropical forest that disappears, deforestation continues next . This not only causes the extinction of numerous species, but also disrupts the global climate and affects the planet's water cycle. After large-scale deforestation, the risk of soil erosion, drought disasters and floods increases, and landslides also occur more frequently. Therefore, the protection of the rainforest concerns us all. The whole of humanity is dependent on the treasure trove of tropical forests, the lungs of the earth. And everyone can make a contribution. Even small changes in one's own consumption behaviour contribute to reducing the burden on the natural resources of our planet. This is not difficult and often even goes hand in hand with an improved attitude to life.
Protecting the forests: What every individual can do
For example, when buying food consciously - if you buy from the local producer in season, for example at the market or from the 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 by the way, you get out of the global logistics that ship food around the world, with horrendous CO2 emissions.
If you go one step further, you can leave your car at home, cycle or walk and do something good for your own health and the rainforest. In any case, the rule here is: don't fill up on biofuel!
You can also reduce your own paper consumption and switch to recycled products or alternative paper. Not all alternatives are unsightly grey any more! It goes without saying that plastic should be avoided as much as possible, and with pretty fabric bags that can also be washed, it's also fun!
Actively contribute to reforestation
The deforestation of rainforest areas is not the end of the day. Numerous organisations around the world are working to counteract the loss of tropical forests by planting trees. In the Sierra del Lacandón National Park, for example, a rainforest area of 33,000 ha could be reforested through donations. By monitoring biodiversity and deploying forest rangers, such areas can be secured and thus the destruction slowed down. The most effective way to protect the rainforest in the long term is to involve local organisations and develop new sources of income for the inhabitants of the affected areas.
At NIKIN, we participate in the protection of forests. In cooperation with our partner OneTreePlanted, we plant a tree for every purchase in our online shop!
