Comprehension: Deforestation of the Tropical Forests

Topic Content:

• Title: DeforestationDeforestation, in simple terms, means the felling and clearing of forest cover or tree plantations to accommodate agricultural, industrial or urban use. More of the Tropical
• Text: New Oxford Secondary English Course for SS2 pages 64-65

     Deforestation is an act that has disastrous consequences and should therefore be halted. It should be noted that tropical forests are quite invaluable. Indeed their loss affects all mankind.

     More than half of the world’s species of living things are found in tropical forests. From spider monkeys and tigers to common mosses and orchids, from snakes and frogs to rare butterflies and parrots – the number of species is just too great to be catalogued.

     Various forms of life thrive in many types of tropical forests. Most people, though, have never visited a tropical forest. Perhaps you have not. Why then should you care about such places?

     The preservation of tropical rain forests is vital to you because so many of the domestic and commercial plants that you rely on depend in a way, on their wilder ancestors that still thrive in such forests. These wild strains are used at times to breed newer strains that are more resistant to diseases and pests. Also, researchers are constantly deriving useful products from tropical forests. A large proportion of the medicines now in use were developed from tropical plants. And you can imagine if these medicines are not available, human beings will die in thousands, if not in millions. Thus the diversity of life in tropical rainforests is often likened to a living library but it is one in which most of the “books” have yet to be opened.

     The humid tropical forest environment is fragile and extremely complex. The myriad life forms depend on one another. Once destroyed, it may be difficult or impossible for such a forest to recuperate.

     Many people earn their living from tropical forests. Besides providing a field for scientific research and tourism, tropical forests are commercially important for such products as timber, nuts, honey, palm hearts, rubber and resin. But tropical forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. What makes this environmental loss especially sad is that tropical rainforests are often destroyed for little permanent benefit.