Saving The Rainforests

Rainforest's are a HUGE part of our ecosystem because some of the most endangered and rare animals and plants can only live there, because of the climate. Rainforest's are usually very moist, warm, and they get a LOT of rain. Some specific plants can only live in very hot and wet places, so that's why Rainforest's are perfect for those types of plants, trees, and animals.

But, as you probably know, Rainforest's are being cut down to either be made into lumber, or make room for building or farm land. And because there are some endangered species living there, they become extinct which means that they can never come back.

It is very sad, because some of these endangered animals include of orangutans, golden toads, and the Bengal tiger. We need to find a way to save these beautiful creatures from going extinct.

But don't worry! If you are interested in helping out the Rainforest's, there are many cool sites that you can find on the Internet that explains about Rainforest's, and what you do to help.

One great website you can go on is: http://www.worldlandtrust.org/, and it allows you to adopt an acre of Rainforest's to keep safe!

Many organizations that are helping and trying to protect our Rainforest's include:

* The Fairtrade Association, it makes sure small farmers in developing countries get fair prices for their products.

*World Wide Fund for Nature, this organization works to protect tropical forests and rare species like the Bengal tiger.

*Forest Stewardship Council, it helps people to buy tropical lumber wisely.

HERE ARE SOME REALLY INTERESTING RAINFOREST FACTS.

- Rainforest's grow near the equator. The constant heat and high rainfall helps the trees to grow tall.

- Some Rainforest's have rain ALL year!

- Rainforest's are the richest places on Earth for plants and animals to live and grow.

- The island of Madagascar was once almost all Rainforest.

- Rainforest's get the most rain in March. They can get up to 13 centimetres!

- Few plants grow on the shady Rainforest floor. Most scramble upward to reach the sunlight high above.

- Many lizards live high in the treetops and some of them have flaps of skin along their bodies. They can spread these out to glide from tree to tree.

- Scientists have found more than 500 different species of butterflies living in the 19 sq. miles of protected nature reserve in Monteverde.

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Things that YOU can do to help Rainforest's!

1. Coffee was once grown beneath trees. Many new kinds are grown in open sunshine, so trees go and birds lose their homes. Buy shade-grown coffee to help the birds!

2. Buy Rainforest-friendly furniture!

3. Learn what food comes from Rainforest areas and try to buy products that have been grown in a responsible way.

4. Try to buy Organic and Fair-trade food items.

5. Help protect orangutans by supporting the World Wildlife Fund's "Heart of Borneo Program." Go to: http://www.panda.org/.

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Looking for a really interesting knoledgable book about nature?

Then check out "Earth Matters"!

Into poetry? Love nature? Well, check out The Voice of Nature on http://www.lulu.com/!