Tropical forests are among the most complex ecosystems on Earth. They contain an estimated 50% of all recorded terrestrial biodiversity and remind us how little we know about the countless other species on this planet, including a possible 30 million as yet undiscovered insects.
Tropical forests include lowland rain forests with annual rainfall over 2000 mm, higher altitude cloud forests and tropical dry, deciduous forests, which have a pronounced wet and dry season.
The threats to this highly vulnerable biome continue to increase. Small-scale slash-and-burn agriculture, commercial logging and ranching and, more recently, large-scale agriculture, are the main causes of deforestation. Protected areas have often only been established in forest with less potential commercial value and entire ecosystems, such as lowland forest in Indonesia, have almost disappeared.
Recognizing their biological value, the multiplicity of the threats they face and their local, regional and global climatic and economic importance, Fauna & Flora International is working to conserve significant areas of tropical forest habitat and the rich assemblages of animals and plants that they harbour. Our projects span the largest remaining areas on earth: the Brazilian and Ecuadorian Amazon and the Congo Basin; key areas of South-east Asia (Cardamom Mountains); Indo-China (Vietnam; West Africa (Sapo National Park); Ecuadorian Choco; dry and lowland forests of Mesoamerica, and the Atlantic forest of South America.
Clearance and burning of forest leads to increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, a significant contributor to climate change. Ironically, the burgeoning demand for oil palm and ethanol, as sources of biofuel to help the E.U. and U.S. reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has increased the rate of forest destruction. Fauna & Flora International and its partners are working to help resolve such quandaries at policy level - through concepts like avoided destruction - and taking pragmatic action on the ground.
£50 or $100 could support an experienced community ranger on an FFI project for one month, enabling them to buy a new radio for field communications. This is an example of what your money could do. Please make a donation of however much you can afford.
Our world-renowned conservation journal, Oryx, publishes research and academic papers and disseminates models of best practices. Receive Oryx by joining FFI today.
