RAINFOREST INFORMATION
By Rhett A. Butler Last updated Aug 14, 2020
A Place Out of Time: Tropical Rainforests and the Perils They Face - information on tropical forests, deforestation, and biodiversity
RAINFOREST FACTS
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Sections:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE RAINFOREST
Rainforests are forest ecosystems characterized by high levels of rainfall, an enclosed canopy and high species diversity. While tropical rainforests are the best-known type of rainforest and the focus of this section of the web site, rainforests are actually found widely around the world, including temperate regions in Canada, the United States, and the former Soviet Union.
Tropical rainforests typically occur in the equatorial zone between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, latitudes that have warm temperatures and relatively constant year-round sunlight. Tropical rainforests merge into other types of forest depending on the altitude, latitude, and various soil, flooding, and climate conditions. These forest types form a mosaic of vegetation types which contribute to the incredible diversity of the tropics.
The bulk of the world's tropical rainforest occurs in the Amazon Basin in South America. The Congo Basin and Southeast Asia, respectively, have the second and third largest areas of tropical rainforest. Rainforests also exist on some the Caribbean islands, in Central America, in India, on scattered islands in the South Pacific, in Madagascar, in West and East Africa outside the Congo Basin, in Central America and Mexico, and in parts of South America outside the Amazon. Brazil has the largest extent of rainforest of any country on Earth.
Rainforests provide important ecological services, including storing hundreds of billions of tons of carbon, buffering against flood and drought, stabilizing soils, influencing rainfall patterns, and providing a home to wildlife and Indigenous people. Rainforests are also the source of many useful products upon which local communities depend.
While rainforests are critically important to humanity, they are rapidly being destroyed by human activities. The biggest cause of deforestation is conversion of forest land for agriculture. In the past subsistence agriculture was the primary driver of rainforest conversion, but today industrial agriculture — especially monoculture and livestock production — is the dominant driver of rainforest loss worldwide. Logging is the biggest cause of forest degradation and usually proceeds deforestation for agriculture.
Organization of this site
The rainforest section of Mongabay is divided into ten "chapters" (the original text for the site was a book, but has since been adapted for the web), with add-on content in the form of special focal sections (e.g. The Amazon, the Congo, REDD, New Guinea, Sulawesi, Forests in Brazil, etc), appendices, and other resources.
There is also a version of the site geared toward younger readers at kids.mongabay.com.
ABOUT THE RAINFOREST (SUMMARY)
Chapter 1:RAINFOREST DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERISTICS
Each rainforest is unique, but there are certain features common to all tropical rainforests.
- Location: rainforests lie in the tropics.
- Rainfall: rainforests receive at least 80 inches (200 cm) of rain per year.
- Canopy: rainforests have a canopy, which is the layer of branches and leaves formed by closely spaced rainforest trees some 30 meters (100 feet) off the ground. A large proportion of the plants and animals in the rainforest live in the canopy.
- Biodiversity: rainforests have extraordinarily highs level of biological diversity or “biodiversity”. Scientists estimate that about half of Earth's terrestrial species live in rainforests.
- Ecosystem services: rainforests provide a critical ecosystem services at local, regional, and global scales, including producing oxygen (tropical forests are responsible for 25-30 percent of the world's oxygen turnover) and storing carbon (tropical forests store an estimated 229-247 billion tons of carbon) through photosynthesis; influencing precipitation patterns and weather; moderating flood and drought cycles; and facilitating nutrient cycling; among others.
The global distribution of tropical rainforests can be broken up into four biogeographical realms based roughly on four forested continental regions: the Afrotropical, the Australiasian, the Indomalayan/Asian, and the Neotropical. Just over half the world's rainforests lie in the Neotropical realm, roughly a quarter are in Africa, and a fifth in Asia.
These realms can be further divided into major tropical forest regions based on biodiversity hotspots, including:
- Amazon: Includes parts of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela
- Congo: Includes parts of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo
- Australiasia: Includes parts of Australia, Indonesian half of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea
- Sundaland: Includes parts of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore
- Indo-Burma: Includes parts of Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
- Mesoamerica: Includes parts of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama
- Wallacea: Sulawesi and the Maluku islands in Indonesia
- West Africa: Includes parts of Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo
- Atlantic forest: Includes parts of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay
- Choco: Includes parts of Colombia, Ecuador, Panama
Dozens of countries have tropical forests. The countries with the largest areas of tropical forest are:
- Brazil
- Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
- Indonesia
- Peru
- Colombia
Other countries that have large areas of rainforest include Bolivia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ecuador, Gabon, Guyana, India, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Congo, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Cover and loss by rainforest region
Primary forest extent | Tree cover extent | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rainforest region | 2001 | 2010 | 2020 | 2001 | 2010 | 2020 |
Amazon | 556.7 | 543.5 | 526.2 | 673.4 | 658.6 | 628.9 |
Congo | 173.7 | 172.2 | 167.6 | 301.2 | 300.3 | 287.7 |
Australiasia | 61.8 | 65.4 | 64.4 | 76.3 | 91.3 | 89.1 |
Sundaland | 39.9 | 57.3 | 51.0 | 67.7 | 121.6 | 103.1 |
Indo-Burma | 15.3 | 42.6 | 40.1 | 37.8 | 153.0 | 139.1 |
Mesoamerica | 43.7 | 17.4 | 16.0 | 160.3 | 54.3 | 49.8 |
Wallacea | 18.1 | 15.2 | 14.6 | 56.2 | 26.1 | 24.5 |
West Africa | 9.8 | 10.9 | 10.2 | 15.6 | 48.5 | 41.8 |
Atlantic forest | 11.1 | 9.7 | 9.3 | 49.3 | 96.3 | 89.0 |
Choco | 10.0 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 99.8 | 15.9 | 15.6 |
PAN-TROPICS | 1,029.6 | 1,006.5 | 969.1 | 2,028.3 | 1,959.4 | 1,839.1 |
Primary forest loss | Tree cover change | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
2002-09 | 2010-19 | 2002-09 | 2010-19 | |
Rainforest region | M ha (%) | M ha (%) | M ha (%) | M ha (%) |
Amazon | -13.18 (-2.4%) | -17.28 (-3.2%) | -14.7 (-2.2%) | -29.8 (-4.5%) |
Congo | -1.46 (-0.8%) | -4.68 (-2.7%) | -0.8 (-0.3%) | -12.7 (-4.2%) |
Australiasia | -0.29 (-0.5%) | -0.86 (-1.3%) | 0.2 (0.2%) | -1.4 (-1.5%) |
Sundaland | -2.22 (-5.5%) | -3.67 (-6.4%) | -1.5 (-2.3%) | -9.5 (-7.8%) |
Indo-Burma | -1.62 (-10.5%) | -2.14 (-5.0%) | -0.6 (-1.6%) | -6.4 (-4.2%) |
Mesoamerica | -1.10 (-2.5%) | -2.51 (-14.4%) | -7.3 (-4.6%) | -13.9 (-25.6%) |
Wallacea | -0.66 (-3.6%) | -1.36 (-8.9%) | -1.9 (-3.3%) | -4.6 (-17.5%) |
West Africa | -0.30 (-3.1%) | -0.50 (-4.6%) | -0.1 (-0.8%) | -1.2 (-2.4%) |
Atlantic forest | -0.24 (-2.1%) | -0.62 (-6.4%) | -0.7 (-1.5%) | -6.8 (-7.0%) |
Choco | -0.33 (-3.3%) | -0.35 (-4.1%) | -3.5 (-3.5%) | -7.3 (-46.0%) |
PAN-TROPICS | -23.11 (-2.2%) | -37.34 (-3.7%) | -68.9 (-3.4%) | -120.3 (-6.1%) |
Tropical forest cover and loss by country
Units: million hectares | Primary forest extent | Tree cover extent 2001 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Country | 2001 | 2010 | 2020 | 2001 | 2010 | 2020 |
Brazil | 343.2 | 331.9 | 318.7 | 516.4 | 498.1 | 468.2 |
DR Congo | 104.6 | 103.4 | 99.8 | 198.8 | 198.5 | 188.0 |
Indonesia | 93.8 | 90.2 | 84.4 | 159.8 | 157.7 | 141.7 |
Colombia | 54.8 | 54.2 | 53.3 | 81.6 | 81.7 | 79.3 |
Peru | 69.1 | 68.5 | 67.2 | 77.9 | 78.6 | 76.5 |
Bolivia | 40.8 | 39.9 | 38.1 | 64.4 | 62.7 | 58.9 |
Venezuela | 38.6 | 38.5 | 38.1 | 56.4 | 57.3 | 56.1 |
Angola | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 49.7 | 48.3 | 46.8 |
Central African Republic | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 46.9 | 47.1 | 46.6 |
Papua New Guinea | 32.6 | 32.4 | 31.9 | 42.9 | 42.9 | 41.9 |
Mexico | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.6 | 43.3 | 42.5 | 40.3 |
China | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 42.8 | 41.1 | 38.5 |
Myanmar | 14.0 | 13.8 | 13.5 | 42.8 | 40.9 | 38.2 |
India | 10.2 | 10.1 | 9.9 | 35.1 | 31.4 | 30.2 |
Cameroon | 19.1 | 19.0 | 18.5 | 30.6 | 29.7 | 28.7 |
Republic of Congo | 21.2 | 21.1 | 20.8 | 26.4 | 26.6 | 26.0 |
Argentina | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 30.9 | 27.6 | 24.9 |
Gabon | 22.7 | 22.6 | 22.4 | 24.7 | 24.7 | 24.4 |
Malaysia | 15.9 | 15.0 | 13.3 | 29.1 | 28.6 | 23.8 |
Mozambique | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 26.6 | 25.0 | 23.1 |
Tanzania | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 21.8 | 20.6 | 19.3 |
Guyana | 17.3 | 17.3 | 17.2 | 19.0 | 19.1 | 18.9 |
Ecuador | 10.6 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 18.3 | 18.5 | 18.1 |
Thailand | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 19.8 | 19.0 | 17.7 |
Philippines | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 18.3 | 18.1 | 17.4 |
Paraguay | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 23.9 | 20.2 | 16.6 |
Zambia | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 18.5 | 17.4 | 16.6 |
Laos | 8.3 | 8.1 | 7.5 | 19.1 | 17.9 | 15.4 |
Suriname | 12.8 | 12.7 | 12.6 | 13.9 | 14.0 | 13.9 |
Rest of the tropics | 59.6 | 58.0 | 53.9 | 210.1 | 203.5 | 183.3 |
Grand Total | 1,029.6 | 1,006.5 | 969.1 | 2,009.7 | 1,959.4 | 1,839.1 |
Primary forest loss | Tree cover change | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
2002-09 | 2010-2019 | 2002-09 | 2010-2019 | |
Country | M ha (%) | M ha (%) | M ha (%) | M ha (%) |
Brazil | -11.37 (-3.3%) | -13.15 (-4.0%) | -18.25 (-3.5%) | -29.93 (-6.0%) |
DR Congo | -1.16 (-1.1%) | -3.67 (-3.5%) | -0.37 (-0.2%) | -10.50 (-5.3%) |
Indonesia | -3.63 (-3.9%) | -5.85 (-6.5%) | -2.09 (-1.3%) | -15.98 (-10.1%) |
Colombia | -0.54 (-1.0%) | -0.96 (-1.8%) | 0.17 (0.2%) | -2.43 (-3.0%) |
Peru | -0.60 (-0.9%) | -1.37 (-2.0%) | 0.68 (0.9%) | -2.10 (-2.7%) |
Bolivia | -0.90 (-2.2%) | -1.84 (-4.6%) | -1.67 (-2.6%) | -3.75 (-6.0%) |
Venezuela | -0.15 (-0.4%) | -0.33 (-0.9%) | 0.86 (1.5%) | -1.14 (-2.0%) |
Angola | -0.03 (-1.2%) | -0.09 (-3.8%) | -1.37 (-2.8%) | -1.51 (-3.1%) |
Central African Republic | -0.05 (-0.6%) | -0.11 (-1.5%) | 0.15 (0.3%) | -0.49 (-1.0%) |
Papua New Guinea | -0.19 (-0.6%) | -0.55 (-1.7%) | 0.04 (0.1%) | -1.05 (-2.4%) |
Mexico | -0.20 (-2.1%) | -0.40 (-4.4%) | -0.81 (-1.9%) | -2.22 (-5.2%) |
China | -0.03 (-1.9%) | -0.04 (-2.4%) | -1.67 (-3.9%) | -2.66 (-6.5%) |
Myanmar | -0.19 (-1.4%) | -0.38 (-2.8%) | -1.90 (-4.4%) | -2.70 (-6.6%) |
India | -0.13 (-1.2%) | -0.20 (-2.0%) | -3.67 (-10.5%) | -1.18 (-3.8%) |
Cameroon | -0.11 (-0.6%) | -0.50 (-2.6%) | -0.96 (-3.1%) | -1.02 (-3.4%) |
Republic of Congo | -0.07 (-0.3%) | -0.25 (-1.2%) | 0.28 (1.0%) | -0.60 (-2.2%) |
Argentina | -0.19 (-4.4%) | -0.21 (-5.0%) | -3.31 (-10.7%) | -2.69 (-9.8%) |
Gabon | -0.08 (-0.3%) | -0.16 (-0.7%) | 0.02 (0.1%) | -0.29 (-1.2%) |
Malaysia | -0.98 (-6.2%) | -1.65 (-11.0%) | -0.47 (-1.6%) | -4.84 (-16.9%) |
Mozambique | 0.00 (-1.6%) | -0.01 (-7.5%) | -1.60 (-6.0%) | -1.95 (-7.8%) |
Tanzania | -0.01 (-0.9%) | -0.02 (-2.8%) | -1.21 (-5.5%) | -1.31 (-6.3%) |
Guyana | -0.03 (-0.2%) | -0.09 (-0.5%) | 0.07 (0.3%) | -0.14 (-0.8%) |
Ecuador | -0.05 (-0.5%) | -0.12 (-1.2%) | 0.20 (1.1%) | -0.43 (-2.3%) |
Thailand | -0.07 (-1.2%) | -0.05 (-0.9%) | -0.75 (-3.8%) | -1.31 (-6.9%) |
Philippines | -0.05 (-1.1%) | -0.09 (-2.1%) | -0.18 (-1.0%) | -0.80 (-4.4%) |
Paraguay | -0.46 (-13.3%) | -0.53 (-17.7%) | -3.69 (-15.4%) | -3.60 (-17.8%) |
Zambia | 0.00 (-1.0%) | -0.02 (-6.5%) | -1.07 (-5.8%) | -0.77 (-4.4%) |
Laos | -0.23 (-2.7%) | -0.55 (-6.8%) | -1.15 (-6.0%) | -2.58 (-14.4%) |
Suriname | -0.02 (-0.2%) | -0.10 (-0.8%) | 0.05 (0.4%) | -0.14 (-1.0%) |
Rest of the tropics | -1.59 (-2.7%) | -4.04 (-7.0%) | -6.59 (-3.1%) | -20.17 (-9.9%) |
Grand Total | -23.11 (-2.2%) | -37.34 (-3.7%) | -50.27 (-2.5%) | -120.27 (-6.1%) |
RAINFOREST STRUCTURE
Rainforests are characterized by a unique vegetative structure consisting of several vertical layers including the overstory, canopy, understory, shrub layer, and ground level. The canopy refers to the dense ceiling of leaves and tree branches formed by closely spaced forest trees. The upper canopy is 100-130 feet above the forest floor, penetrated by scattered emergent trees, 130 feet or higher, that make up the level known as the overstory. Below the canopy ceiling are multiple leaf and branch levels known collectively as the understory. The lowest part of the understory, 5-20 feet (1.5-6 meters) above the floor, is known as the shrub layer, made up of shrubby plants and tree saplings.
RAINFOREST BIODIVERSITY
Tropical rainforests support the greatest diversity of living organisms on Earth. Although they cover less than 2 percent of Earth’s surface, rainforests house more than 50 percent of the plants and animals on the planet.
- Climate: because rainforests are located in tropical regions, they receive a lot of sunlight. The sunlight is converted to energy by plants through the process of photosynthesis. Since there is a lot of sunlight, there is a lot of energy in the rainforest. This energy is stored in plant vegetation, which is eaten by animals. The abundance of energy supports an abundance of plant and animal species.
- Canopy: the canopy structure of the rainforest provides an abundance of places for plants to grow and animals to live. The canopy offers sources of food, shelter, and hiding places, providing for interaction between different species. For example, there are plants in the canopy called bromeliads that store water in their leaves. Frogs and other animals use these pockets of water for hunting and laying their eggs.
- Competition: while there is lots of energy in the rainforest system, life is not easy for most species that inhabit the biome. In fact, the rainforest is an intensively competitive place, with species developing incredible strategies and innovations to survive, encouraging specialization.
THE RAINFOREST CANOPY
In the rainforest most plant and animal life is not found on the forest floor, but in the leafy world known as the canopy. The canopy, which may be over 100 feet (30 m) above the ground, is made up of the overlapping branches and leaves of rainforest trees. Scientists estimate that more than half of life in the rainforest is found in the trees, making this the richest habitat for plant and animal life.
The conditions of the canopy are markedly different from the conditions of the forest floor. During the day, the canopy is drier and hotter than other parts of the forest, and the plants and animals that live there have adapted accordingly. For example, because the amount of leaves in the canopy can make it difficult to see more than a few feet, many canopy animals rely on loud calls or lyrical songs for communication. Gaps between trees mean that some canopy animals fly, glide, or jump to move about in the treetops. Meanwhile plants have evolved water-retention mechanisms like waxy leaves.
Scientists have long been interested in studying the canopy, but the height of trees made research difficult until recently. Today the canopy is commonly accessed using climbing gear, rope bridges, ladders, and towers. Researchers are even using model airplanes and quadcopters outfitted with special sensors — conservation drones — to study the canopy.
The rainforest floor
The rainforest floor is often dark and humid due to constant shade from the leaves of canopy trees. The canopy not only blocks out sunlight, but dampens wind and rain, and limits shrub growth.
Despite its constant shade, the ground floor of the rainforest is the site for important interactions and complex relationships. The forest floor is one of the principal sites of decomposition, a process paramount for the continuance of the forest as a whole. It provides support for trees responsible for the formation of the canopy and is also home to some of the rainforest's best-known species, including gorillas, tigers, tapirs, and elephants, among others.
Rainforest waters
Tropical rainforests support some of the largest rivers in the world, like the Amazon, Mekong, Negro, Orinoco, and Congo. These mega-rivers are fed by countless smaller tributaries, streams, and creeks. For example, the Amazon alone has some 1,100 tributaries, 17 of which are over 1,000 miles long. Although large tropical rivers are fairly uniform in appearance and water composition, their tributaries vary greatly.
Rainforest waters are home to a wealth of wildlife that is nearly as diverse as the biota on land. For example, more than 5,600 species of fish have been identified in the Amazon Basin alone.
But like rainforests, tropical ecosystems are also threatened. Dams, deforestation, channelization and dredging, pollution, mining, and overfishing are chief dangers.
Rainforest people
Tropical rainforests have long been home to tribal peoples who rely on their surroundings for food, shelter, and medicines. Today very few forest people live in traditional ways; most have been displaced by outside settlers, have been forced to give up their lifestyles by governments, or have chosen to adopt outside customs.
Of the remaining forest people, the Amazon supports the largest number of Indigenous people living in traditional ways, although these people, too, have been impacted by the modern world. Nonetheless, Indigenous peoples' knowledge of medicinal plants remains unmatched and they have a great understanding of the ecology of the Amazon rainforest.
In Africa there are native forest dwellers sometimes known as pygmies. The tallest of these people, also called the Mbuti, rarely exceed 5 feet in height. Their small size enables them to move about the forest more efficiently than taller people.
There are few forest peoples in Asia living in fully traditional ways. The last nomadic people in Borneo are thought to have settled in the late 2000's. New Guinea and the Andaman Islands are generally viewed as the last frontiers for forest people in Asia and the Pacific.
Deforestation
Every year an area of rainforest the size of New Jersey is cut down and destroyed, mostly the result of human activities. We are cutting down rainforests for many reasons, including:
- wood for both timber and making fires;
- agriculture for both small and large farms;
- land for poor farmers who don’t have anywhere else to live;
- grazing land for cattle (the single biggest driver of deforestation in the Amazon);
- plantations, including wood-pulp for making paper, oil palm for making palm oil, and rubber;
- road construction; and
- extraction of minerals and energy.
In recent decades there has been an important shift in deforestation trends. Today export-driven industries are driving a bigger share of deforestation than ever before, marking a shift from previous decades, when most tropical deforestation was the product of poor farmers trying to put food on the table for their families. There are important implications from this change. While companies have a greater capacity to chop down forests than small farmers, they are more sensitive to pressure from environmentalists. Thus in recent years, it has become easier—and more ethical—for green groups to go after corporations than after poor farmers.
Rainforests are also threatened by climate change, which is contributing to droughts in parts of the Amazon and Southeast Asia. Drought causes die-offs of trees and dries out leaf litter, increasing the risk of forest fires, which are often set by land developers, ranchers, plantation owners, and loggers.
Rainforest importance
While rainforests may seem like a distant concern, they are critically important for our well-being. Rainforests are often called the lungs of the planet for their role in absorbing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and producing oxygen, upon which all animals depend for survival. Rainforests also stabilize climate, house incredible amounts of plants and wildlife, and produce nourishing rainfall all around the planet.
Rainforests:
- Help stabilize the world’s climate: Rainforests help stabilize the world’s climate by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Scientists have shown that excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from human activities is contributing to climate change. Therefore, living rainforests have an important role in mitigating climate change, but when rainforests are chopped down and burned, the carbon stored in their wood and leaves is released into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
- Provide a home to many plants and animals: Rainforests are home to a large number of the world’s plant and animals species, including many endangered species. As forests are cut down, many species are doomed to extinction.
- Help maintain the water cycle: The role of rainforests in the water cycle is to add water to the atmosphere through the process of transpiration (in which plants release water from their leaves during photosynthesis). This moisture contributes to the formation of rain clouds, which release the water back onto the rainforest. In the Amazon, 50-80 percent of moisture remains in the ecosystem’s water cycle. When forests are cut down, less moisture goes into the atmosphere and rainfall declines, sometimes leading to drought. Rainforests also have a role in global weather patterns. For example researchers have shown that forests in South America affect rainfall in the United States, while forests in Southeast Asia influence rain patterns in southeastern Europe and China. Distant rainforests are therefore important to farmers everywhere.
- Protect against flood, drought, and erosion: Rainforests have been compared to natural sponges, moderating flood and drought cycles by slowing run-off and contributing moisture to the local atmosphere. Rainforests are also important in reducing soil erosion by anchoring the ground with their roots. When trees are cut down there is no longer anything to protect the ground, and soils are quickly washed away with rain. On steep hillsides, loss of forest can trigger landslides.
- Are a source for medicines and foods and support forest-dependent people: People have long used forests as a source of food, wood, medicine, and recreation. When forests are lost, they can no longer provide these resources. Instead people must find other places to get these goods and services. They also must find ways to pay for the things they once got for free from the forest.
Rainforest conservation
Rainforests are disappearing very quickly. The good news is there are a lot of people who want to save rainforests. The bad news is that saving rainforests will be a challenge as it means humanity will need to shift away from business-as-usual practices by developing new policies and economic measures to creative incentives for preserving forests as healthy and productive ecosystems.
Over the past decade there has been considerable progress on several conservation fronts. Policymakers and companies are increasingly valuing rainforests for the services they afford, setting aside large blocks of forests in protected areas and setting up new financial mechanisms that compensate communities, state and local governments, and countries for conserving forests. Meanwhile, forest-dependent people are gaining more management control over the forests they have long stewarded. Large international companies are finally establishing policies that exclude materials sourced via deforestation. People are abandoning rural areas, leading to forest recovery in some planes.
But the battle is far from over. Growing population and consumption means that rainforests will continue to face intense pressures. At the same time, climate change threatens to dramatically alter temperatures and precipitation patterns, potentially pushing some forests toward critical tipping points.
Thus the future of the world's rainforests in very much in our hands. The actions we take in the next 20 years will determine whether rainforests, as we currently know them, are around to sustain and nourish future generations of people and wildlife.
The Latest News on Rainforests
‘Insignificant risk’ EUDR proposal threatens fight against deforestation, critics say (Jul 24 2025)
- Some European Union officials want to simplify a section of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the bloc’s landmark law that seeks to eliminate commodities associated with deforestation.
- A European Parliament proposal wants to reconsider a benchmarking system that categorizes trading partners into high, standard and low deforestation risk.
- Supporters of the proposal say EUDR rules are still too complicated for producers, while environmental groups say the world’s forests can’t afford further delays.
Where there’s political will, there’s a way to stop tropical deforestation, study finds (Jul 24 2025)
- A study focused on why deforestation rates have slowed in Indonesia and the Brazilian Amazon revealed that political will was a critical factor, often as a result of pressure from civil society and diplomacy to conserve forests.
- The authors surveyed the expert opinions of researchers, policymakers and advocates working on forest conservation in Brazil or Indonesia.
- In Brazil, experts said government action — like satellite monitoring and recognizing Indigenous lands — was key to stopping deforestation.
- Indonesia’s forest conservation success comes not just from political will, but also from corporate efforts and pressure from civil society groups.
Indonesian palm oil company sues experts who helped secure $18m pollution ruling (Jul 24 2025)
- Two top Indonesian environmental experts, Bambang Hero Saharjo and Basuki Wasis, are being sued by palm oil firm PT Kalimantan Lestari Mandiri for their court testimony that helped convict the company for massive fires in Borneo.
- The lawsuit is widely condemned as a SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) — a legal tactic to silence critics — and raises concerns about the chilling effect on scientists who testify in environmental cases.
- Despite existing anti-SLAPP regulations in Indonesia, poor enforcement has allowed such lawsuits to proceed, with activists calling the case a form of judicial harassment and an attempt to evade responsibility for ecological damage.
- The case highlights broader issues of corporate impunity and weak enforcement of environmental rulings, as the company continues to operate and burn peatland, even after a binding court order to pay fines and restore the land.
Ecuador’s new protected areas law sparks debate over security, development (Jul 23 2025)
- A new law on protected areas in Ecuador is designed to improve security, funding and economic development in the country’s 78 protected areas.
- It creates a new service to oversee management decisions and a trust to generate funding for protected areas, while mandating increased technical training for park rangers.
- It also strengthens partnerships with law enforcement and the military.
- Critics of the law say it militarizes the country’s protected areas and erodes the autonomy of local and Indigenous communities.
Mongabay journalist Karla Mendes wins 2025 Oakes Award for environmental journalism (Jul 23 2025)
Mongabay reporter Karla Mendes has won the 2025 John B. Oakes Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism, announced on July 23. Her investigation in the Brazilian Amazon uncovered a direct connection between the expansion of the cattle industry in Maranhão state and an increase in violent crime against the inhabitants of the state’s Arariboia Indigenous Territory. […]
Nickel boom on an Indonesian island brings toxic seas, lost incomes, report says (Jul 23 2025)
- Nickel mining on Indonesia’s Kabaena Island has polluted the sea, degraded forests and disrupted the lives of Indigenous Bajau fishers and farmers, who have reported severe drops in income, fish catches and seaweed quality.
- The mining has harmed biodiversity, threatening leatherback turtle nesting sites and the island’s unique long-tailed macaques, while also causing health issues among locals, including skin and respiratory problems, according to a report by NGOs.
- Affected communities report land seizures without proper consultation or compensation, limited public participation, and criminalization of protests, all in violation of Indigenous rights and national laws.
- The report ties the mining firms to political elites and global EV supply chains, including alleged links to Tesla and Ford, and calls for mining permit audits, stronger protections for affected communities and full accountability from companies.
An aging leopard’s suffering sparks ethical debate in Sri Lanka (Jul 23 2025)
In Sri Lanka, the fate of an aging, injured leopard, well-loved by tourists, has triggered a debate. Wildlife enthusiasts are urging authorities to help the leopard, named Neluma, in Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka’s largest protected area. However, wildlife officials and conservationists are against intervening and providing veterinary support, Mongabay contributor Malaka Rodrigo reported in […]
Hope and frustration as Indonesia pilots FSC’s logging remedy framework (Jul 22 2025)
- Indonesia is the first test case for the Forest Stewardship Council’s new remedy framework, which allows logging firms to regain ethical certification by addressing past environmental and social harms.
- However, NGOs have found serious flaws in the process, including lack of consent, rushed assessments, and exclusion of many affected Indigenous communities.
- The process also faces backlash over poor transparency, intimidation of Indigenous rights activist, and allegations of undisclosed corporate ties to ongoing deforestation.
- Some communities see the framework as a rare chance to reclaim land and rights — but only if it becomes truly fair and accountable.
From deforestation to renewal: Why reforestation isn’t just about trees (Jul 20 2025)
- Sociologist Thomas Rudel explores the social and political forces behind global reforestation, arguing that forest regrowth is rarely automatic and often depends on human decisions and local conditions.
- He critiques top-down climate pledges for failing to engage with smallholder farmers and Indigenous communities, who are frequently the key actors in both forest loss and recovery.
- Rudel highlights the importance of “corporatist coalitions” that link global funders with grassroots actors, enabling more flexible and locally effective forest restoration efforts.
- Rudel spoke with Mongabay founder and CEO Rhett Ayers Butler in July 2025.
Landmark Indigenous land title in Ecuador protected area still in limbo (Jul 16 2025)
- Twenty months after a landmark court ruling granted the Siekopai Nation land rights within a protected Amazon area, the Ecuadorian government has yet to issue the official title, with sources citing legal issues, government hesitancy and intercommunity conflicts.
- Tensions have escalated between the Siekopai and the Kichwa de Zancudo Cocha communities, which both claim ancestral ties to the land, with reported incidents of violence and a lack of compromise.
- Some critics say the conflict stems from improper agreements made by the state without adequate consultation and that or a growing scarcity of land in the Amazon.
- Indigenous leaders and experts call for greater government accountability, improved mediation and potentially a jointly managed protected area to resolve the dispute and prevent similar conflicts in other regions of the country.
Landmark Indigenous land title in Ecuadorian Amazon reserve mired in controversy (Jul 15 2025)
- A 2023 court ruling granted land rights in Ecuador’s Cuyabeno Reserve to the Siekopai people, recognizing their ancestral ties and setting a precedent for Indigenous land claims in protected areas.
- The decision has sparked controversy, as it affects the Kichwa de Zancudo Cocha, another Indigenous people with ties to the same land and a government agreement.
- The case has raised broader concerns about inter-Indigenous conflict, the role of NGOs and the limits of state agreements in resolving overlapping land claims.
- Many Indigenous leaders argue that land titling is essential but warn that current legal approaches risk intensifying disputes rather than promoting shared stewardship.
Indigenous groups debate use of land agreements in Ecuador’s protected areas (Jul 15 2025)
- The Kichwa de Zancudo Cocha community lost some of the land it had been managing in the Cuyabeno Reserve under an agreement with the Ecuadorian government when the Siekopai Nation was awarded a land title in a 2023 court case.
- While these agreements have allowed Indigenous communities to manage ancestral lands in protected areas, critics argue they offer limited autonomy and can favor the government.
- Land titles provide greater self-determination and legal permanence for Indigenous communities, though some argue they could impact conservation efforts in protected areas.
- Some Indigenous leaders worry that the case could have side effects that aggravate disputes over ancestral land claims and undermine their own agreements, while others highlight that it’s an opportunity for communities to obtain firmer land rights.
Tropical forest roots show strain as changes aboveground filter below (Jul 15 2025)
- Tropical forest plant roots have not received as much research attention as aboveground vegetation. This knowledge gap affects our understanding of how rainforests adapt to change, including their ability to capture and store atmospheric carbon.
- An emerging field of research is looking at how root systems respond to global change. New evidence dramatically underlines the outsized importance of tropical forests in the global carbon cycle. Tropical forests represent one of the world’s largest carbon sinks, largely thanks to plant roots, which add carbon to soils.
- Despite the challenge of studying tiny roots hidden underground, researchers are uncovering important insights. Some tropical forests send roots deeper into the soil under dry conditions, possibly seeking moisture, which may aid in drought tolerance. Others seem unable to do this, making them more vulnerable to climate change.
- Recent plant root studies are confirming the immense stress tropical rainforests are under, with conditions changing faster than roots belowground can adapt. Knowing more precisely which forests can, and can’t, tolerate escalating climate change and other stressors could better inform management and conservation decisions.
‘Revolutionary technology’ uses scanners for easier species detection in the wild (Jul 15 2025)
Researchers in Brazil’s Amazonas state are testing easy-to-use scanners that can help them identify animal species they come across in the wild, Mongabay contributor Miguel Monteiro reported in June. The scanners use a technology called near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), which currently has many applications, from measuring food quality to monitoring blood oxygen levels in the medical […]
Ecuador’s government promised same land in the Amazon to two Indigenous peoples (Jul 14 2025)
- A court in Ecuador ordered the delivery of a property title within the Cuyabeno Reserve to the Siekopai Nation, intensifying a long-simmering dispute with the Kichwa de Zancudo Cocha community, which also has claims to the land.
- The ruling challenges an existing 2008 land and conservation agreement between the Kichwa community and the environment ministry, with the former set on armed resistance.
- Some observers argue that the government’s failure to properly consult all affected groups before signing land agreements has fueled this dispute.
- Indigenous people are calling for a peaceful resolution of the conflict amid growing concerns that the ruling could impact other land agreements and intensify Indigenous land conflicts in Ecuador’s Amazon.