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RainforestA rainforest is a forested biome with high annual rainfall. Some cite a minimum normal annual ranfall of 2500 mm (about 100 inches), with normal rainfall at least 60 mm during each of the twelve months of the year. Others set the minimum annual rainfall barrier as low as 1700 mm (about 67 inches). The soil can be poor because high rainfall tends to leach out soluble nutrients. This type of biome is found in both temperate and tropical climates. As well as prodigious rainfall, many rainforests are characterized by a high number of resident species and tremendous biodiversity.
The undergrowth in a rainforest is restricted in many areas by the lack of sunlight at ground level. This makes it possible for humans and other animals to walk through the forest. If the leaf canopy is destroyed or thinned for any reason, the ground beneath is soon colonised by a dense tangled growth of vines, shrubs and small trees called jungle.
It is estimated that rainforests provide up to 40% of the oxygen currently found in the atmosphere. And yet, tropical and temperate rain forests have been subjected to heavy logging and agricultural clearance throughout the 20th century, so that the area covered by rainforest around the world is rapidly shrinking. It is estimated that the rainforest was reduced by about 58,000 km² annually in the 1990s. Rainforests used to cover 14% of the Earth's surface. This percentage is now down to 6% and it is estimated that the remaining rainforests could disappear within 40 years (mid-21st century) at the present rate of logging. Many scientists seriously dispute these estimates, especially considering the rapid growth of new tropcial rainforests in cleared areas. Biologists have estimated that large numbers of species are being extirpated (driven to extinction)—possibly more than 50,000 a year—due to the removal of habitat with destruction of the rain forests.
The largest tropical rainforests exist in the Amazon basin (the Amazon Rainforest), in the equatorial portions of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in much of Indonesia. Temperate rainforests are found along the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska through Washington state, in the former Yugoslavia, and in parts of Japan. Most temperate rainforests result from prevailing upslope flow along a mountain range.
- See also: Illegal logging
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Rainforest Information Centre
Rainforest news, information, action alerts and alternatives to rainforest timbers.
http://forests.org/ric/
The Pachamama Alliance
Dedicated to protecting the Earth's rain forests and the indigenous peoples who live within them. News and action alerts. Virtual rain forests tour.
http://www.pachamama.org/index.htm
Taiga Rescue Network (TRN)
Information on boreal forest ecology and biodiversity, the cultures of the boreal regions, threats faced by boreal forests worldwide.
http://www.taigarescue.org/
Forest Conservation Archives and Portal
Rainforest, forest, biodiversity news and information.
http://forests.org/
Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation
Describes the emergence of religious concern for forest conservation and provides a variety of resources toward a religious ethic of forests.
http://www.creationethics.org
World Rainforest Movement
Campaign against large scale monoculture tree plantations in many countries. These plantations are resulting in a number of negative social and environmental impacts on local communities.
http://www.wrm.org.uy/
Rainforest Foundation UK
An international organization working with indigenous peoples to conserve the world's rain forests and uphold their human rights.
http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/
Care2's Race For the Rain Forest
This is a quick, easy way to help save the rain forest with a simple point and click. Each click generates a donation, paid by advertising sponsors, to The Nature Conservancy's Adopt An Acre Program.
http://rainforest.care2.com/
Deforestation: Humankind and the Global Ecological Crisis
A review of world forest issues and their social causes, effects, and solutions.
http://www.aquapulse.net/knowledge/deforestation.html
Can Our Rain Forests be Saved?
Feature on tropical rain forests in The Watchtower (Jehovah's Witnesses).
http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1998/5/8/article_00.htm
Rainforests of the World
Personal page about rainforests.
http://www.geocities.com/jeff_p_simon_98/
Instituto Terra
Non-profit organization, helping to conserve and restore Brazil's threatened Atlantic Forest through education, research and reforestation.
http://www.institutoterra.org/
Children's Rainforest
Non-profit association working to save the world's rainforests by buying the rainforest in order to save it. Provides project and sponsorship information.
http://www.barnens-regnskog.net/
Mountain Forest Project
Organizes volunteer workcamps in Switzerland, Germany and Austria that contribute to the conservation of the mountain forest ecosystem.
http://www.bergwaldprojekt.ch/english/eingang_index.htm
Proforests
Ideas on protection of natural forests.
http://utenti.lycos.it/proforest/
NRDC: Forests
Outlines the Natural Resources Defense Council's work on preserving USA forests and tackling the causes of forest destruction.
http://www.nrdc.org/land/forests/
Rainforest Renaissance Project
Supports afforestation and agroforestry projects in Central America.
http://www.rainforestproject.org/
SeedTree
USA campaign to preserve and renew forest ecosystems by developing a sustainable human ecology. News and details of programs.
http://www.seedtree.org/
Rainforest Relief
Nonprofit dedicated to ending the destruction of the world's tropical and temperate rainforests.
http://www.rainforestrelief.org/
Forest Magazine
Magazine about USA public forests.
http://www.fseee.org/forestmag/
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