June, 22 World Rainforest day is celebrated all over the world to
protect all the rainforests on the earth. Also to raise awareness and motivate
people not to cut down the forests. There is a concerning statement regarding
this, "That an area as large as the size of 40 football fields is lost
every minute of every day.'
History
The first World Rainforest Day was celebrated on June 22, 2017. It
was established by the cooperation of a group called the Rainforest
Partnership. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, this international non-profit
organization is dedicated to protecting and regenerating rainforest through
community projects in the Amazon region. The Rainforest partnership
organisation work with the people who n the tropical rainforest area and begin
projects to assist local communities to restore and regenerate healthy tropical
forests.
This world rainforest day focuses on making our role to save our
rainforests to save our nature. Also, it helps to make people aware of the
importance of rainforests and their effects on us. As we come together on this
day, we can all take active and hopeful action to protect the rainforest and
sustain its life, because it has sustained ours for many more years till now. About
Rainforest
A Rainforest refers to those mostly evergreen forests of the world
where there is heavy rainfall throughout the year. The rainfall varies from at
least 1850 mm to 2000 mm. The leaves of such forest trees are always green due
to the rainfall throughout the year. About 40% to 75% of all species are found
in these rainforests. As an example, - Brazilian Amazon-Brazil, Shinharaja
forest Reserve- Srilanka, The Daintree- Australia, The Kanha national park-
India.
Rainforests are Earth’s oldest living ecosystems, with some
surviving in their present form for at least 70 million years. They are incredibly
unique and sophisticated, home to more than half of the world’s plant and
animal species—even though they cover just 6% of Earth’s surface. This makes
rainforests astoundingly dense with flora and fauna; a
110-square-kilometre(4-square-mile) patch can contain as many as 1,500
flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 150 species of
butterflies.
Rainforests are crucial for the survival of life on Earth. They
say that 20% of the oxygen we breathe comes from the Amazon rainforest alone.
Also the freshwater we drink. The Amazon
consume our carbon dioxide and cement climate structures. Also, it is home to
half of the plants and animals of the world. Rainforest has a rich and diverse
biodiversity that is very important for our planet.
Most rainforests are structured in four layers: emergent, canopy,
understory, and forest floor. Each layer has unique characteristics based on
differing levels of water, sunlight, and air circulation. While each layer
is distinct, they exist in an interdependent system: processes
and species in one layer influence those in another.
There are two types of Rainforests. One is Tropical Rainforest and
another one is temperate rainforest.
Why we need Rainforests?
Rainforest offers many products that we use every day. Tropical
woods such as teak, Barcelona, mahogany, and mahogany are used for floors,
doors, windows, shipbuilding, and cabinets. It is used in the manufacture of
textiles such as raffia, bamboo, vat, rattan, furniture, baskets and insulating
ropes. Cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg and ginger are some of the spices of the
rainforest. The ecosystem supports fruits such as bananas, papaya, mango, cocoa
and coffee beans. Orgrim also gave us a lot of medicine. According to the
National Cancer Institute, 70% of plants that can be used for cancer treatment
can only be found in tropical rain forests. Rainforest plants are also used to
produce muscle relaxants, steroids and pesticides. They are used to treat
asthma, arthritis, malaria, heart disease and pneumonia. Since less than 1% of
tropical forest species are used for medical analysis, the importance of
tropical forest species to public health is even more compelling. Even jungle
mushrooms can contribute to the well-being of humanity. For example, fungi found
in the rainforests of Ecuador can consume polyurethane, a tough, durable
plastic used for everything from garden hoses to carpets and shoes. Because
mould consumes plastic even in an anaerobic environment, many environmental
activists and companies are investing in research on how mould can help reduce
waste in municipal landfills.
Threats to Rainforests
However, unsustainable industrial and agricultural development has
severely damaged the health of the world's rainforests. Citizens, governments,
intergovernmental organizations, and conservation groups are working together
to protect these valuable but fragile ecosystems. Rainforests are disappearing
at an alarming rate, mainly due to human development in recent centuries. Once
it covered 14% of the earth's land, now the rainforest only occupies 6%. Since
1947, the total area of rainforest may have been reduced by more than half, to
approximately 6.2 to 7.8 million square kilometres (3 million square miles).
Many biologists predict that the rainforest will lose 5% to 10% of species
every ten years. Rampant deforestation may lead to the complete disappearance
of many important tropical rainforest habitats in the next 100 years.
What we can do to celebrate
There are hundreds of activities, from within the local community
to virtual activities, school education programs, charity projects, and
hundreds of small actions that we can take on our own every day to protect the
rainforest. Whether you go to the rainforest alone or with friends, family or colleagues,
you will be part of a community around the world.
Rainforest Day celebrates this precious natural resource and
encourages action to protect it. Your efforts and the actions of others will
have a positive impact on tropical rainforests and climates around the world.
Simple ways to help save the rainforest: Learn about the latest threats to
tropical rainforests, such as industrial deforestation, man-made climate
change, and loss of protected forest areas.
This is a great opportunity to reduce the burden on the branches
of the rainforest and find help to protect local wildlife and people's homes.
Find optimistic prospects for protecting the planet by sharing how to save
rainforests on your social media and blogs.
We can also do volunteer
services, such as search for registered tree planting charities, where you can
sponsor tree planting activities to give back to the rainforest. If we want to
involve the kids, why not take advantage of the activity packs on the website
of the day and distribute them to your friends and family for a fun-filled day
of activities.
If you are looking for an opportunity to change your lifestyle,
then this day is also an opportunity to make ecological decisions to help save
the future of our tropical rainforest. For example, deforestation caused by
agriculture is a large part of the shrinkage of tropical rainforests. Why not
reduce food waste by ensuring that you only buy and use what you need. Buying
goods from ethical companies that contribute to the environment is also a
reliable way to ensure their protection. Helping local wildlife is also a great
way to maintain global biodiversity and even help some migratory birds return
home. Plant insect-attracting flowers in your garden or balcony and share a
little love with our feather friends as they fly back to the tropical climate.
This day is a great opportunity to take many small steps or hold large events
to express our gratitude.
Keywords: World Rainforest Day, Nature Conservation, Environment
About the Author: Farjana Yeasmin Nishita is a
Green Blogger, Public Relationship Officer,
Certified Youth Advocate, and a Researcher.
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