Green Earth Movement An e-newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice

4. Wood for furniture, lumber, firewood and other products – In the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, many local communities sustainably harvest mahogany and other wood, as well as chicle, which is used to make chewing gum. Panama hats
are actually made from an
understory palm from the
coastal dry forests of Ecuador.
In total, about 30 percent of
the world’s forests are used
for production of wood and
non-wood products (such as food, resins, medicines, etc.).
5. Habitat for mammals, birds, insects – Forests are home to almost half of the world’s species, with some of the richest biodiversity found in tropical forests. Insects and worm help cycle nutrients through the soil. Many rare and
endangered
species, such as
orangutans,
gorillas and pandas,
depend on dense
patches of isolated
forest.
6. Preventing flooding – During times of heavy rainfall, lowland forests such as those in floodplains help to absorb water and slow flood flows, preventing damage to soil, property and buildings. Lowland forests such as the blackwater swamps of the Southeast are also spectacularly beautiful habitat for a wide range of wildlife.