It’s hard to imagine that we would knowingly destroy something so valuable; Could it be that we are destroying them before realizing their value? Before we really understand its biodiversity? And even before we fully understand life and the ecosystems they support?
Massive deforestation brings with it many horrible consequences: air and water pollution, soil erosion, release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, eviction and destruction of indigenous indigenous tribes, and extinction of many plants, animals, and creatures. Fewer rainforests mean less rain, less oxygen to breathe, and a greater threat from global warming.
Confucius said: “A man who has made a mistake and does not correct it, is making another mistake.” Clearly deforestation is a man-made mistake. So how do we fix this error? Can we correct this error?
If deforestation stopped today, it would be a great help, but unfortunately it would not be enough. We have lost entire species, both in plant and animal life; However, all is not lost. What we can hope for by ending deforestation is a new beginning; new species to evolve and the rebirth of this dwindling treasure.
With the rapid loss of the Earth’s rainforests, it’s time to correct our mistake. There is no simple solution or quick fix, but there are definitely steps that can be taken to stop deforestation and restore not only damaged ecosystems, but also the beauty of life that has been lost.
Four invaluable steps to save our rainforests:
Step #1: Education
Over the last 20 years, deforestation has claimed millions of square miles of tropical forests, and to protect their future, we must develop strong educational initiatives. Educational programs and curricula for each grade level are vital as today’s children are our future. Fostering good global citizenship in school-age children will help them develop a deeper understanding of the challenges of conservation, as well as a healthy respect for the environment. However, education cannot stop at school-age children; adults need the same education about deforestation and preventive measures.
Educational resources are now increasingly available to educators. For example, Paradise Earth Scholastic is Paradise Earth’s academic service and the Internet’s leading source for rainforest education, packed with educational curricula for K-12, educational multimedia features, and resources for research and education. teaching.
Step #2: Conservation Policies
Saving rainforests is a global responsibility, not just the responsibility of the country that hosts the forests. Stricter policies prohibiting deforestation need to be written and enforced; our responsibility runs a little deeper. If the international community wants to provide a higher level of protection for these forests, financial resources must be an important part of the conservation strategy.
Historically, governments around the world have been willing to lend to tropical nations and in some cases even write off debts they owed in exchange for environmental protection. For example, the British government recently allocated $150 million for the preservation and sustainable development of tropical forests around the world. Germany freed Kenya of its $400 million debt when Kenya agreed to pass environmental legislation.
In 2001, President Clinton proposed $150 million in funding to help developing countries preserve their tropical forests while strengthening their economies. Under the budget, $100 million would go to conservation programs (through the United States Agency for International Development-USAID), while $37 million would go to debt-for-nature swaps under the Conservation Act. Tropical forests.
In addition to financial support, developed nations can also lend their conservation expertise to developing countries and assist in the planning of new protected areas.
Step #3: Restore and Regrow
Although the total restoration of our lost rainforests seems impossible, a large number of studies and revival projects have been carried out around the world.
In September 2008 came the announcement that the first Kihansi spray toad was born at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. This tiny creature was last seen in the wild in May 2005. The birth of the Kihansi toad has renewed hopes that the species may one day be successfully reintroduced into its natural habitat in a remote gorge in Tanzania.
In other news, researchers at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Sciences (BTI) on the Cornell campus are attempting what many thought was impossible: restore a rainforest ecosystem. Ten years after the tree planting, Cornell graduate student Jackeline Salazar counted the plant species that took up residence in the shade of the newly planted areas. She found a remarkably high number of species, more than 100 in each plot. And many of the newcomers were also found in nearby remnants of the original forests.
It may take hundreds of years to recover what has been lost, but every year we see evidence that the “impossible” is indeed possible.
Step #4: Support Ecotourism
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism is considered to lead to the management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be met while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes , biological diversity and life support systems.
Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment while enhancing the cultural integrity of the local population and its economy. Between 1993 and 2003 alone, tourism to 23 countries that are home to biodiversity hotspots grew by 100 percent.
At first glance, it seems that ecotourism was designed for the traveler, but its intention is much greater. Ecotourism creates jobs in food and beverage service, the hotel and tourism industry, transportation, and many other industries. Because ecotourism is based on healthy ecosystems, it provides a powerful incentive to protect our rainforests. People who make a living from ecotourism are more likely to protect local natural resources and support conservation efforts.
Correcting the deforestation “mistake” might still be likely; but not without an overdose of human effort to finally put an end to the disappearance of the rainforests. No matter how unattainable this goal seems, our mistake still has a chance to be corrected.