Dharma Beads

How much do you know about the Rain Forest?

That the tropical rain forests cover less than 5% of the earth's surface, yet nearly one half of the world's species of plants and animals are found there.

Lush green jungles circle the equator in a 3,000 mile wide belt running through parts of South America, Central America, Southeast Asia and Africa. The largest area, about 130 million acres, is in the Amazon region of Brazil Temperatures range from 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and annual rainfalls from 6 to 30 feet.

Tropical rain forests play an important role in controlling climate all over the world. What makes a tropical rain forest so unique is its biodiversity (bio means life; diversity means different). Scientists believe that we are just beginning to uncover the number of plants, animals, and insects that exist in this fascinating and diverse habitat. For example, a person could walk for a mile through the rain forest and never find two trees of the same kind. Much of this diversity is due to the special layering of plant life, the millions of species, animals, the hot, humid climate and rich fertile soil.

For thousands of years people have lived in rain forests. These indigenous people (whose ancestors were the forest to inhabit the area) have relied on their natural surroundings for their livelihood. Fruits and vegetables, nuts and their oils, tree saps, natural dyes, seeds and medicinal plants are some of the treasures stored in the rain forest.

While these indigenous people have always known that these treasures existed, outsiders have just recently begun to appreciate that the rain forests may be more valuable if kept intact and the renewable resources are collected and used rather than destroyed.

Non-profit organizations are working with local communities to gather and sell rain forest products. As the demand for naturally-based products increases, you will begin to see more products with rain forest ingredients on store shelves. Already, there are many of these products on the market, from rain forest cereals and nuts to coffee and spices, even ice cream... and chances are you will find some of them at your local grocery store. Check out the produce section and you will probably find fruits, like coconuts and bananas, that are grown in the rain forest, too.

One interesting and successful rain forest project involves tagua (pronounced taw gwa), a nut which grows on south American palms. Tagua is also called a Vegetable Ivory or Ivory Nut because of its remarkable likeness to animal ivory and easily carved textured. The idea of using tagua in place of ivory goes back more than 100 years. In the 1800's, became one of the Ecuador's leading exports to Europe. The nuts were carved into everything from dice and chess pieces to buttons and umbrella handles. In 1990, non-profit organizations linked up with communities in Ecuador and Colombia to collect, harvest, and sell tagua nuts to be crafted into jewelry, buttons, and small carvings.

Be informed and check out books from the library to learn more about the rain forest and about the animals and plants that live there. Share your knowledge with family and friends.

Look for products made from rain forest ingredients. When purchasing wood products that come from the rain forest, like rosewood, teak, or mahogany, look for phrases such as sustainable harvested wood or grown on plantations.