Steve Shipp
Published: 1997
Total Pages: 204
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Rainforests -- home to more than half of all plant and animal species on earth while covering less than six percent of the world's land area -- have intricate ecosystems with multitudes of animal and plant species, including humans. Yet deforestation of the rainforests has greatly increased in the past half century. Ten thousand years ago rainforests covered an estimated 9. 5 million square miles, but as millions of trees are lost daily to agricultural and commercial development, scientific studies project the reduction of rainforests to six million square miles by the year 2000 and 3. 5 million square miles by 2050. Numerous scientific, political, conservationist, public-information and other organizations have been formed to address every aspect of rainforests; over 120 worldwide can be found in this directory. Each entry lists the address, phone number, contact person, e-mail or Internet address, (if available), mission statement or goals, publications, and often the group's history and current projects. All listed agencies and organizations readily accept queries for information about rainforests, and most invite participation in their activities and projects.