Activity 3

Q. WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF RAINFOREST DESTRUCTION?

86,400 Croke Park pitches of Rainforest are destroyed per day!

Look at what Michael Ó Muircheartaigh has to say:

'It's an astonishing fact that an area of rainforest the size of Croke Park disappears every second. Illegal logging is often seen as one of the driving forces. It's time to play fair and give people in developing countries a fair deal and a fair price for their forest resources'

YOUR TASK

Your team consists of a:

1. Meteorologist

2. Member from your Indiginous Tribe
3. Biologist

4. Greenpeace researcher

Each member of your team will be assigned one of the roles above. Your task is to research the current state of rainforests from the perspective of your assigned role. You will then develop a report to present at the conference.

1. Meteorologist

Your field of study is concerned with the conditions of the atmosphere, especially in order to forecast the weather.

Key Questions

In what climates are tropical rainforests found?
What role do rainforests play in regulating global climate?
What effect has rainforest destruction had on global climates to date?
What is global warming and how is rainforest destruction contribute to it?
What other factors contribute to global warming?
What proof is there that temperatures are rising?
Why should we be concerned about rising sea levels?

Websites

http://www.yptenc.org.uk/docs/factsheets/env_facts/rainffclim.html

http://www.mongabay.com/external/Deforestation_Affects_Climate.htm

http://www.davesite.com/rainforests/review4.shtml

http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/

2. A member from your Indigenous Tribe

You are concerned with ensuring that the culture and livelihood of the indigenous people who live in rainforests throughout the world is not put at risk.

Key Questions

In what ways do indigenous people use the rainforests?
What has happened to their rainforests?
What is shifting cultivation?
What is cash cropping?

Websites

http://www.davesite.com/rainforests/review4.shtml

http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/

http://www.eduweb.com/agriculture/ag1.html

http://www.eduweb.com/agriculture/comag.html

http://www.amanakaa.org/

http://www.amanakaa.org/yanomami/about.htm

http://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/

http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm

3. Biologist

Your field of study is concerned with the study of living organisms, including their structure, functioning, distribution and interrelationships.

Key Questions

What is biodiversity?
How does deforestation impact on biodiversity?
What species are endangered?
What effect does deforestation have on rainforest soils/habitats?

Websites

http://www.davesite.com/rainforests/review4.shtml

http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/

http://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/

http://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/teacher_levels.html#aa

http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm

http://passporttoknowledge.com/rainforest/main.html

4. Greenpeace Researcher

Greenpeace is an independent organisation campaigning to ensure a just, peaceful, sustainable environment for future generations.

Key Questions

What is the current state of the world's rainforests (Where are they, how large is the area covered, etc)?
How have rainforests changed from 100 years ago?
What has caused the decline of the world's rainforests?
Is there a link between population growth and rainforest destruction?
What is meant by the term sustainable agriculture?
What is the Kyoto Protocol and which have countries have signed it?