Disappearing Rain forests

Photo by epha. Flickr.com

It is very sad that one of the world's most beautiful and most diverse ecosystems is disappearing more and more every year.  According to rain-tree.com 14% of the world used to be covered by rain forests.  Now, only 6% of the world is rain forest.  Also according to rain-tree.com experts are saying that the last of the earth's rain forests could be gone in less than 40 years.  To me that is a chilling statistic but it is a reality that we must face.  People are willing to destroy these beautiful parts of the earth because the only value they in the rain forest is the value of the lumber they contain.  However, if rain forest continues a large fraction of the earth's species of plants and animals will die off.  But all of that life is worth destroying as long as we get the lumber right?  I don't believe so. Rain-tree.com puts this into perspective by stating that experts believe that we are losing 137 species of plants, animals and insects every day due to deforestation!  I must be honest.  I had no idea that this was this much of an issue.  I never really thought about it but now that I know these facts all I can do is wonder why we continue to let this happen.  These are beautiful lands containing gorgeous plant life and tons of different animal species and we are just letting them be destroyed.   I believe that we must stand up for these living things that cannot stand up for themselves and put a stop to rain forest deforestation before it is too late and they are all gone.

Sources:
http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm