The last rainforests

The rainforest plays a huge role in balancing the world’s ecosystems. Despite the fact that rainforests cover only 7% of the earth’s surface, – live – more than 50% of the earth’s organisms in the rainforest.

But we are well on our way to losing one of the earth’s largest biological treasuries. The rainforest, which once covered 14% of the earth’s surface, today covers only approx. 7%.

If predation continues in the forests, researchers estimate that 80-90% of the rainforest ecosystems will be destroyed by 2020.
When an area in the rainforest is felled or cleared, it can never be restored.

According to the UN, about 14 million hectares of rainforest are destroyed every year. The rainforests are almost extinct in India, Malaysia and the Philippines and the amount of deforestation in South America is increasing. Annually, about 10 million are cleared. ha. rainforest, and worldwide the net decline in the forest is up to seven million. hectares annually.

The Latin American rainforests are also disappearing with alarming speed. Around the year 1950, half of Panama was covered by rainforest, but at the beginning of the year 2000, this figure was only about 10%. An 80% reduction in just 50 years! In the year 2000, almost two million were destroyed. hectares of the Brazilian rainforest. An increase of 15% compared to the previous year.

With the construction of roads for the use of the timber companies, there are also plans for further destruction of the ecosystem in the form of clearing for cattle farming, soybean plantations, illegal hunting, mining and logging. Thus, the Brazilian government estimates that up to 80% of the timber produced in the Amazon rainforest is deforested.