Perspective: Environmentalists

The Amazon rainforest is a diverse area and the activists and organizations that wish to protect it often have very diverse reasons for doing so.

Environmentalists see slash and burn agriculture as a major contributor to global warming and other environmental problems in the Amazon region. Deforestation causes the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide, which goes into the atmosphere (Freedman 2008). Organizations such as Protect the Amazon believe that, “by reducing the destruction of the planet’s largest rainforest, we sustain oxygen levels, secure the sequestered carbon dioxide, and enable a slowdown of the effects of global climate disruption” (PAR 2013). Secondly, 40% of precipitation in the region comes from the Amazon; continued deforestation could mean damaging water resources (Chang 2007).

The harpy eagle is one of the many endangered Amazonian animals due to its loss of habit and nesting grounds (AZA 2013). (Figure from GB 2012.)

Additionally, the Amazon is home to 10% of the world’s known species (WWF 2013). Slash and burn often kills and drives out animals, which can lead to the endangerment or sometimes extinction of animals and plants (Freedman, 2008). It is believed that only 1% of Amazonian plants have been tested for their medical potential; those like the World Wildlife Fund believe that as the forest is destroyed so is the potential for many medical discoveries (WWF 2013). 


Through eliminating slash and burn in the Amazon may not solve all of it’s problems, it would be one step to preserving the forest and it's wildlife.

(AZA) Associations of Zoos and Aquariums. Harpy Eagle. Aza.org. (Date Accessed: May 16, 2013.)  http://www.aza.org/Education/KidsAndFamilies/detail.aspx?id=1787

Chang J. (2007) As Brazil’s Rain Forest Burns Down, Planet Heats Up.  http://www.mcclatchydc.com. McClatchy Newspapers.  (Date Accessed: May 12, 2013.)

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2007/09/08/19533/as-brazils-rain-forest-burns-down.html#.UY_TuLWcfTo

(GB) Greenbuzz (2012) Most Endangered Species in Amazon Rainforest. Greenbuzz.com. (Date Accessed: May 16, 2013.) http://greenbuzzz.net/nature/most-endangered-species-in-amazon-rainforest/

Freedman, B. (2008) Slash-and-Burn Agriculture. www.find.galegroup.com. Gale Cengage Learning. (Date Accessed: May 12, 2013.) http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=Relevance&prodId=DC&tabID=T001&subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528su%252CNone%252C15%2529slash%2Band%2Bburn%2B%2524&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=R1&displaySubject=&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=1&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28SU%2CNone%2C15%29slash+and+burn+%24&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&inPS=true&userGroupName=wall96493&sgCurrentPosition=0&contentSet=GSRC&docId=EJ2644042095&docType=GSRC

(PAR) Protect Amazon Rainforest. Carbon Storage. protectamazonrainforest.com (Date Accessed: May 13, 2013.) http://www.protectamazonrainforest.com/carbon.html

(WWF) World Wildlife Fund. Why is the Amazon Rainforest Important. Wwf.panda.org (Date Accessed: May13, 2013.) http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/amazon/about_the_amazon/why_amazon_important/