Also in this section:
The story of the Rainforest
Rainforest Protection Organisations
SAVING THE RAINFOREST
How can we help?
This is the most frequently asked question by our visitors!
Well we can start by:
Refusing to buy:
- Products made out of exotic tropical woods.
- Pets captured from the wild.
- Beef grown on deforested tropical land.
Use products harvested from sustainable sources:
- Natural rubber.
- Brazil nuts.
- Cashews.
- Spices.
Use wood and paper wisely and recycle both.
- Buy wood products from officially certified sustainable sources.
- Use recycled paper.
Visit a rainforest if you can.
- Eco tourism helps by providing local employment and revenue in a non-destructive way.
Travel in an eco friendly way:
- Walk.
- Public transport.
- Car share.
- Cycle.
Support and visit Zoos and animal centres like Amazon World that educate visitors and conserve many species of animals and plants that would now be extinct without their help.
Almost all rainforests grow in 'developing countries'. In these areas there is pressure for the native inhabitants to raise their standards of living to those that we find in the rest of the world. This of course costs money and often the easiest way to make money involves the destruction of non-renewable resources.
Countries working together
In 1973 80 countries came together and produced the text for an agreement called the: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES). This came into force in 1975 and the number of countries voluntarily signed to the agreement is now 163. It protects endangered species through regulating the trade and exploitation of many types of severely threatened plants and animals.
Rainforest Protection Organisations
Only around 2% of the rainforests remaining on earth have formal protection. Many voluntary organisations have been set up to try to help protect the remaining 98%.
These include:
Conservation International www.conservation.org
Fauna & Flora International www.fauna-flora.org
Friends of the Earth www.foe.org
Forest Stewardship Council www.fscoax.org
Global Forest Watch www.globalforestwatch.org
Greenpeace International www.greenpeace.org
IUCN - The World Conservation Union www.iucn.org
Native Forest Network www.nfn.org.au
Rainforest Action Network www.ran.org
Rainforest Alliance www.rainforest-alliance.org
Rainforest Foundation UK www.rainforestfoundationuk.org
Rainforest Information Centre www.forests.org/ric
Rainforest Rescue www.arborday.org
Tourism Concern www.tourismconcern.org.uk
World Rainforest Movement www.wrm.org.uy
World Wide Fund for Nature www.wwf.org
Although we have visited these websites we cannot be held responsible for the authenticity of any information found in them.
Amazon World Zoo Park Watery Lane, Nr Arreton, Isle of Wight PO36 0LX
Tel: 01983 867122 Fax: 01983 868560 Email: info@amazonworld.co.uk