The New Endangered Specie: the Rainforest

The New Endangered Specie: The Rainforest

The destruction of our rainforests is drastically harming the environment and if allowed to continue, it will severely affect native cultures, the climate and resources. The rainforests of our planet are some of the most beautiful and plentiful places in the world. The rainforests of the world only cover 2% of our planet, but are home to over two thirds of all the living species. These natural oases are being threatened by deforestation and may soon become extinct. The topics that will be addressed in the following paragraphs are the causes that are behind the destruction, the human cultures that are being destroyed, reduction of resources, climate issues and possible solutions.

The main cause behind the destruction of the rainforest is obvious, logging. Commercial logging companies cut down trees that are the correct type for their timber. The companies behind the timber industry defend themselves by saying that the selective process of their logging allows the trees to grow back naturally and doesn’t affect the environment. The industries are wrong in saying this. Some of these trees have been around for hundreds of years and they won’t be able to grow back at the rate of destruction. Also, the heavy machinery used in the process of logging and the building of roads cause extensive damage. The soil in these regions is trampled by vehicles and people, decreasing the chance of future growth in the area.

Another cause of rainforest destruction is shifting farmers. They are called shifting because they have been forced off of their farmland by corporations or the government and have moved into the forests. These farmers mainly run sugar plantations or grow coffee beans. After they cultivate the land, the soil becomes useless and they move on to a new area in the forest. The soil left behind cannot support life and will remain a barren patch in a once great forest.

A large contributor to deforestation is the...