Transcript Saving the Rainforest

To understand why we should save the
tropical rainforest and evaluate ways in
which we can do this.
Starter 5,4,3,2,1:
• Name 5 animals found in the TRF
• Name 4 Countries where TRFs are found
• Name 3 ways in which humans are
destroying the TRF
• Name 2 impacts of the destruction
• Name 1 way in which we could protect the
TRF
Where can you find an antelope the
size of a rabbit, a snake that can fly,
or a spider that eats birds? All in
tropical rainforests, of course!
Tropical rainforests are home to the largest and
the smallest, the loudest and the quietest of all
land animals, as well as some of the most
dangerous, most beautiful, most endearing, and
strangest looking animals on earth.
The world’s ancient forests maintain essential
environmental systems. They influence weather
by controlling rainfall and evaporation of water
from soil. They stabilise the climate by storing
large amounts of carbon.
The Carbon Cycle
The Amazon jungle is the world's largest tropical
rainforest. The forest covers the basin of the Amazon, the
world's second longest river.
The Amazon is home to the greatest variety of plants and
animals on Earth. 1/5 of all the world's plants and birds and
about 1/10 of all mammal species are found there.
The world's
rainforests are
currently disappearing
at a rate of 6000
acres every hour (this
is about 4000 football
fields per hour)!
How many ‘football pitches’ of
forest are destroyed per day?
When these forests
are cut down, the
plants and animals
that live in the
forests are
destroyed, and some
species are at risk of
being made extinct.
Rainforests also provide us
with many valuable medicinal
plants, and may be a source
of a cure from some deadly
diseases.
2 words…
Conservation
Sustainable Development
• What do these 2 words mean?
• What is the difference between these words?
Conservation
The creation of nature reserves, where
development is restricted is one way to prevent
deforestation and maintain biodiversity for the
future.
Indigenous ways of life can also be preserved
for future generations.
In Brazil, the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI), is
responsible for protecting land for use by indigenous
peoples.
But, it is unfeasible for governments to protect every
piece of rainforest.
Most rainforests are in developing nations.
How can they afford to look after the rainforest?
The people who live in the rainforest
have much to teach us about
rainforests. From them, we can learn
important information about medicinal
plants which they have used for
centuries for their health and wellbeing.
Forests can be managed
without endangering
rare species of plants
and animals, and without
risking global
environmental damage.
Companies should be
made to plant new trees
after they cut old trees
down.
We must be careful not to destroy the
resources that people will need in the
future.
Many animals from the rainforests are
brought to our country illegally, parrots
and iguanas, for example.
We should not buy these animals,
since that encourages other people to
bring in more animals.
Groups of people who live in the world’s
rainforests are beginning to fight for
their land, usually through peaceful
demonstrations.
They are aware that taking action could
lead to their arrest or even the loss of
their lives, but they know that if they
do nothing, the rainforest could be lost
forever.
The World Land Trust raises money to protect
endangered rainforest.
With every £25.00 collected, they can buy one
acre of land.
The Rainforest Café in London, is currently
raising funds to buy its own large area of tropical
forest .
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is an increasingly popular form of tourism
in which tourists seek out wild and scenic areas
such as rainforests or mountains for an active and
educational trip. The tourists are usually from the
North America, Europe or Australia/New Zealand;
their destination is often in the developing world
.Ecotourism has also become popular among people
interested in both environmental conservation and
sustainable development. It has been called a way to
save the rainforest and a "win-win development
strategy for undeveloped rural areas."
Ecotourism
• What benefits does it have?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0UGQC
REe7I
• Does it have any problems?
http://youtu.be/5rBFTI9ZQ3k
Sustainable logging
What is the problems with normal logging?
Watch these videos to explain how
‘sustainable logging’ is better….
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/pl
ayer/environment/going-greenenvironment/conservation-inaction/sustainable-logging.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6p3KrGXnU
How can you make a living without logging?
There are many rainforest products, like fruit
and rubber, that can be collected in a
renewable way.
On a small scale, harvesting forest products can
be more profitable in the long term than
alternatives which destroy the forest, like
subsistence agriculture or forestry.
This use of resources is sustainable as it
preserves the rainforest into the future whilst
allowing people to improve their livelihoods.
US-Brazil debt for nature swap to
protect forests
The United States and Brazil have signed an
agreement converting $21m (£13.5m) of
Brazilian debt into a fund to protect
tropical ecosystems. Instead of paying
back the debt, Brazil will use the money to
conserve its Atlantic coastal rainforest, as
well as the Cerrado and Caatinga
ecosystems.
All three are under threat from severe
deforestation, but receive much less
attention than the Amazon.
NGOs and sustainability
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can be influential in sustainable
development activities.
The Rainforest Alliance, for instance, works closely
with local people, other conservation groups and
companies to ensure that practices are sustainable.
The Rainforest Alliance is currently working with the
global banana producer Chiquita. They are trying to
ensure that they recycle waste, protect wildlife,
reduce their use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
and improve the living standards of workers.
Sourcing sustainable products
What can you do to encourage
sustainable development in the
rainforest?
Buy sustainably produced items.
Look for Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade
symbols on products as these certify that
production conditions were
environmentally and socially sustainable.
Items that can be sustainably produced in
rainforests include:
fruit and vegetables
musical instruments
tea, coffee and chocolate
furniture.
Plenary:
• Which of the schemes learnt about today
do you think would be the most effective
and why?
Opinions on sustainable
development
Leaf-cutter, or parasol ants, can rightfully be called the world’s
first farmers.
They climb trees up to 100-feet tall and cut out small pieces of
leaves. They then carry these fragments, weighing as much as 50
times their body weight, back to their homes.
Sometimes they need to travel 200 feet, equal to an average
human walking about 6 miles with 5,000 pounds on his or her back!
The
forest floor is converted to a maze of busy highways full of these
moving leaf fragments.
These ants don’t eat the leaves they have collected, but instead
bury them underground. The combination of leaves and
substances that the ants produce such as saliva allows a type of
fungus to grow. This fungus is the only food that they need to
eat.
The aye-aye is a primate. It has front teeth which
grow continuously, like a rodent. It has a long flowing
tail like a fox. It has naked ears like a bat, which he
uses to find prey through echolocation. One of its
fingers is extremely thin, and has a long claw for
extracting insects from tree holes.
Clavilla kills viruses, bacteria,
fungi and parasites
The Amatto (lipstick) tree is used to
cure snake bites, to treat high blood
pressure and as an insect repellent
Buenaventura – the richest ornithological site in south west
Ecuador and also home to Puma, Ocelot and Howler Monkey.
Rio Canande – home to Jaguar, Howler, Spider and Capuchin
Monkey and numerous threatened and near threatened birds.
Tapichalaca – home to the Jocotoco Antpitta, Spectacled Bear
and Mountain Tapir, as well as nine globally threatened frogs and
over 30 species of orchid found only in this reserve.
Jorupe – supports more than 50 endemic birds.
Utana – contains many endemic and threatened bird species,
including Ochre-bellied Dove, Grey-headed Antbird and
Ochraceous Attila.
Yanacocha – the only location for the Critically Endangered
Black-breasted Puffleg hummingbird and also home to Puma and
Spectacled Bear.
Yunguilla – The only location in the world for the critically
endangered Pale-Headed Brush-Finch.
Mountain gorillas
live in groups that
contain one or two
adult males (ages
12 years or older,
called silverbacks),
several younger
males (called
blackbacks), adult
females, juveniles
and infants.
Glossary
•
•
•
•
•
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species – group or type of animals
global - worldwide
endangered – in danger of extinction
conserving – protecting, saving
stabilise – keep the same
extinct – died out