An area the size of two football fields of rainforest may contain 42,000 different species of insects, up to 750 types of trees, and 1,500 kinds of plants. 

If it were not for humans a dense band of tropical forest would completely circle the Earth’s equatorial zone.  Since the 1900s the forests have been reduced by half.  After World War II the rate of destruction accelerated.  Today about 50 acres per minute are altered, an area the size of the state of Florida each year.  The loss of tropical forests is a serious threat to wildlife populations.  Every year many animals lose their habitat, including birds of prey.  In addition to habitat depletion, tropical forest loss precipitates erosion and watershed damage as well as long-term ecosystem damage that is only now beginning to be understood such as forest fragmentation and loss of biodiversity. 

Loss of our tropical forest affects everyone.  Use natural resources wisely!