RAINFOREST TRUST | 10
In 2019 , rainforest fires dominated headlines , opening our eyes to the dreadful impact of slash-and-burn agriculture and illegal land-grabbing . Hundreds of thousands of indigenous people were robbed of their traditional lands and livelihoods and countless species imperilled as profiteers converted rainforests to beef , soy , or palm oil plantations .
Meanwhile evidence accumulated for the dreadful and irreversible impact of this destruction on our planet . The great intact tropical forests of the Amazon and Congo recycle rainfall many times , supporting agriculture across Latin American and Africa . The Amazon is approaching a tipping point where the loss of this recycling , combined with climate change , threatens to tip the system from forest to dry savanna . Forests sequester carbon in their wood and soil which is released back into the atmosphere when they are burned . So the destruction of rainforests is both a cause and an effect of climate change — a fatal feedback loop .
As our planet approaches an irreversible tipping point , our first line of defense must be preservation of rainforests . And the simplest and most cost-effective solution is to create legally recognized protected areas which simultaneously lock up carbon and provide refuge for species . For over 30 years , this has been Rainforest Trust ’ s mission . Now , as we face unprecedented environmental challenges , we will keep our unwavering focus for the betterment of our planet , species and communities .
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