The rainforest is a dense, tropical forest in a region having a high annual rainfall. Rainforest are found mainly in South and Central America (the Amazon), West and Central Africa, Indonesia, parts of Southeast Asia, and tropical Australia. There is no one kind of rainforest although scientists divide them into three broad categories: tropical dry forests, tropical moist forests, and true tropical rainforests. (Britannica Article, 2001)

Did you know that the rainforests covered over 15% of the earth’s land surface just 15 years ag

It is important that the reasons behind the rapid destruction of the rainforest are clearly identified. A comprehensive plan for the protection of this most valuable natural treasure also needs to be put in place. It needs to be realized that all of us, irrespective of where we live and what we do, would be the beneficiaries of a scheme that preserves the rainforest.

Mining operations also result in destruction of rainforests. This is a particular problem in Brazil which has large reserves of iron ore, gold, precious stones and oil. Large scale mining operations also result in pollution as dangerous pollutants such as mercury are used in strip mining. Constant water runoff in the rainforest carry these pollutants far and wide.

It may not be commonly known that Rainforests currently provide sources for one-fourth of today's medicines, 121 prescription drugs currently sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources, and 70% of the plants having anti-cancer properties are found only in the rainforest. The most interesting thing is that scientists have so far tested less than 1% of these tropical trees and plants. (Rainforest Facts, n.d.).

This brings us back to our original question of whether we have enough time to discover all the drugs from the rainforest before we destroy it? The answer is that it is not possible to discover all the drugs. Indeed, the rate at which we have managed to destroy the rainforest, we would never know how many invaluable potential drugs have already been lost forever. But there is a very real and viable alternative to destruction of the rainforest. If we follow the alternative we would not have to be involved in a mad rush to discover all the drugs before the forest is destroyed. We would have all the time in the world to conduct our research and benefit from a perpetual natural treasure.

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