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Iguazu falls is a protected area on the border of Brazil and Argentina
in South America.
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ESTABLISH PARKS THAT PROTECT RAINFORESTS AND WILDLIFE
Creating protected areas like national parks are a great way to save rainforests and other ecosystems. Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their environmental or cultural value. Generally protected areas are managed by governments and use park rangers and guards to enforce the rules of the park and protect against illegal activities like hunting and the cutting down of trees.
Today parks protect many of the world's most endangered species. Animals like Pandas are found only in protected areas.
Parks are most successful when they have the support of local people living in and around the protected area. If local people have an interest in the park they may form a "community watch" which protects the park from illegal logging and wildlife poaching.
An effective way to protect rainforests is to involve indigenous people in park management. Indigenous people know more about the forest than anyone and have an interest in safeguarding it as a productive ecosystem that provides them food, shelter, and clean water. Research has found that in some cases, "indigenous reserves" may actually protect rainforest better than "national parks" in the Amazon.
Parks can also help the economy in rainforest countries by attracting foreign tourists who pay entrance fees, hire local wildneress guides, and buy local handicrafts like baskets and beaded bracelets.
The Mongabay Kids site (kids.mongabay.com) aims to help children learn about rainforests and the environment. This site is still under development and I am working to add additional content as time permits. If you have comments or are interested in submitting educational content for the site, please feel free to contact me.
The site is available in many different languages, including Portuguese, Chinese, French, Spanish, Japanese, and German.
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