Imagine a world without rainforests. The picturesque scenery, unique wildlife and astonishing flora, simply a part of history.
Today, less than six percent of rainforests cover the Earth’s surface. This is a huge drop compared to the amount of land covered by rainforests in the past, percentage has dramatically decreased over the years. To think that 1 ½ acres of rainforest are destroyed every second, and that in a day approximately 137 species are destroyed, ceasing to exist ever again. Even though natural disasters cause death to rainforests, their impact is miniscule to the impact caused by humans.
Today, less than six percent of rainforests cover the Earth’s surface. This is a huge drop compared to the amount of land covered by rainforests in the past, percentage has dramatically decreased over the years. To think that 1 ½ acres of rainforest are destroyed every second, and that in a day approximately 137 species are destroyed, ceasing to exist ever again. Even though natural disasters cause death to rainforests, their impact is miniscule to the impact caused by humans.
![Picture](/uploads/7/7/6/4/77645510/226043_orig.jpg)
What are Human Interactions?????
Human interactions are the communication that occurs between humans and the whole ecosystem. Although there are numerous positive impacts humans have on the environment such as collecting valuable minerals, the positive impacts are overlooked by the devastating negative impacts caused on the environment.
As the human population is significantly growing, estimated that by the end of this century there will be 7-17 billion people living globally, we require more resources and land space for buildings. This results in deforestation of rainforests and other calamitous things including global warming, climate change, loss of species, loss of carbon dioxide, soil degradation, water pollution and lots more.
A Significant Human Impact on Monteverde Costa Rica
Like all other rainforests, Monteverde receives daily destruction. Although it is destroyed by slash and burn, logging, farming and mining, it is more widely known for it’s destruction through cattle ranching.
Cattle ranching is when land is cleared or burned, followed by the conversion into growing crops and grazing livestock. The now farm-like land is used for cattle's food as it is full of nutrients. After a while, the cows grow bigger and once they reach a certain height and weight, are slaughtered and sold for human and pet consumption. The problem with cattle ranching is that farmers use land for their cattle, however this land is only usefull for 2 to 3 years as the soil and land from the rainforest lose their nutrients, now useless to cattle ranchers. Once this occurs, cattle ranchers leave the now nutrientless land, and move on to the next patch of rainforest. In other words unnecessary destruction of rainforests occur for the sake of human consumption.
Like all other rainforests, Monteverde receives daily destruction. Although it is destroyed by slash and burn, logging, farming and mining, it is more widely known for it’s destruction through cattle ranching.
Cattle ranching is when land is cleared or burned, followed by the conversion into growing crops and grazing livestock. The now farm-like land is used for cattle's food as it is full of nutrients. After a while, the cows grow bigger and once they reach a certain height and weight, are slaughtered and sold for human and pet consumption. The problem with cattle ranching is that farmers use land for their cattle, however this land is only usefull for 2 to 3 years as the soil and land from the rainforest lose their nutrients, now useless to cattle ranchers. Once this occurs, cattle ranchers leave the now nutrientless land, and move on to the next patch of rainforest. In other words unnecessary destruction of rainforests occur for the sake of human consumption.
Cattle Ranching Flow Chart/Labelled Diagram
Cattle ranching left a huge impact on Monteverde. Since the 1950’s, 60% of Costa Rica’s rainforest was cleared for cattle ranchers. The U.S. offered cattle ranchers in Costa Rica millions of dollars for beef production, and the Costa Ricans believed that cutting down the rainforest was an easy resolution to this. Unfortunately, the people of Costa Rica, didn’t realise the negative impact they were going to cause on the rainforest.
Cattle ranching fits into the concept of deforestation. It is believed that if the current rate of deforestation continues, in less than 100 years, all rainforests in the world will be destroyed. Deforestation is also one of the major factors of climate change. When trees are destroyed, carbon dioxide is lost ,releasing greenhouse gases, transforming tropical rainforests into devastation. When a significant greenhouse gases are trapped in the ozone layer, causing natural disasters, climate change which contributes to the ‘Global Warming’ issue. Due to the greenhouse effect, the temperature of the Earth is 15 degrees instead of the typical -18 degrees. Not only does cattle ranching have an effect on climate change, it also destroys plant and animal habitat. When plants are destroyed, it leaves an impact on the fauna, where they have to find a new way to adapt to their environment. If they can’t adapt to their environment, they may die, causing changes to the food chain also. In addition, deforestation causes water change and soil erosion. When plants are destroyed, they obtain lots of water from the rain, meaning that water is lost to animals causing death. Soil erosion is devastating as without trees, soil moves around and as it moves around, it can lead to vegetation problems, causing conflicts with plant growth. As you can see, all of these human interactions transform the beautiful rainforests we use to know forming the devastating croplands and remains of tropical rainforests.
Cattle ranching fits into the concept of deforestation. It is believed that if the current rate of deforestation continues, in less than 100 years, all rainforests in the world will be destroyed. Deforestation is also one of the major factors of climate change. When trees are destroyed, carbon dioxide is lost ,releasing greenhouse gases, transforming tropical rainforests into devastation. When a significant greenhouse gases are trapped in the ozone layer, causing natural disasters, climate change which contributes to the ‘Global Warming’ issue. Due to the greenhouse effect, the temperature of the Earth is 15 degrees instead of the typical -18 degrees. Not only does cattle ranching have an effect on climate change, it also destroys plant and animal habitat. When plants are destroyed, it leaves an impact on the fauna, where they have to find a new way to adapt to their environment. If they can’t adapt to their environment, they may die, causing changes to the food chain also. In addition, deforestation causes water change and soil erosion. When plants are destroyed, they obtain lots of water from the rain, meaning that water is lost to animals causing death. Soil erosion is devastating as without trees, soil moves around and as it moves around, it can lead to vegetation problems, causing conflicts with plant growth. As you can see, all of these human interactions transform the beautiful rainforests we use to know forming the devastating croplands and remains of tropical rainforests.
![Picture](/uploads/7/7/6/4/77645510/8478859.jpg?1462435635)
How You Can Help
There are many ways everyone is able to contribute to the conservation of tropical rainforests. By following these five, simple tips, your help and time will be put to great use, saving many lives, habitats and pulchritudinous rainforests.
There are many ways everyone is able to contribute to the conservation of tropical rainforests. By following these five, simple tips, your help and time will be put to great use, saving many lives, habitats and pulchritudinous rainforests.
- Recycle no longer wanted paper. By doing this, you are helping reduce the need of trees being chopped down
- Buy meat grown on farms far away from rainforests. If lots of people start doing this, cattle ranching will become less popular, meaning that cattle ranchers will reconsider the land and way they treat their cattle.
- Spread awareness to people around the world about what is happening in rainforests
- Donate to companies that are supporting the conservation of rainforests
- Support people who live in rainforests, trying to save the environment.