Forests

Tropical Rainforests: Caretakers of the Earth

Forests are often called the "Lungs of the Earth" because of their role in Nature's respiration cycle. Tropical forests are the oldest, richest places on the planet and are found near the Equator, mostly in South East Asia, Central and South America and Africa. Over 50% of all plant and animal species in the world live in tropical rainforests. They are home to native peoples who depend on them for food and shelter. Countless plants used to make medicines that fight diseases such as leukemia and cancer have also come from the rainforests.

Rainforests are being destroyed at a rate of 40 hectares a minute: an area more than half the size of Japan every year. Half of the world's rainforests have already been destroyed; the homes of native populations are gone forever, and we'll never know what medical secrets died with them. Half of the plant and animal species that live in the rainforests — or one-quarter of all the species on Earth — headed for extinction in the next 25 to 50 years if this destruction continues at the same rate.