The world's tropical forests, which circle the globe, are interestingly diverse. Ranging from the steamy jungles of the rain forests to the dry forests and savannas, they provide habitat for millions of species of plants and animals. Once covering some 15.3 billion acres (6.2 billion ha), these tropical forests have been reduced through cutting and clearing by 210 million acres (85 million ha) between 1985 and 1990. All types of tropical forests are defined and their products and benefits to the environment are presented and discussed. Modern forest practices are shown as a means of halting forest destruction while still providing valuable forest products and protecting and preserving the habitats of many endangered species of plants and wildlife. The Luquillo Experimental Forest is presented as a possible model to exemplify forestry practices and research that could manage and ultimately protect the tropical forests throughout the world.
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The world's tropical forests circle the globe in a ring around the Equator They are surprisingly diverse, ranging from lush rain forests to dry savannas and containing millions of species of plants and animals (fig. 1). Tropical forests once covered some 15.3 billion acres (6.2 billion ha). In recent times, however, they have been cut at a rapid rate to make room for agriculture and to obtain their many valuable products. Between 1985 and 1990, 210 million acres (85 million ha) of tropical forests were destroyed.
This guide shows how modern
forest practices can help stem the tide of forest destruction while providing
valuable forest products for people. The tropical forests of Puerto Rico, which
were abused for centuries, were badly depleted by the early 1900's. Widespread
abandonment of poor agricultural lands has allowed natural reforestation and
planting programs to create a patchwork of private, Commonwealth, and Federal
forests across the land (fig. 2). The most frequent example in this publication
is the Luquillo Experimental Forest, which could be a model for protecting and
managing tropical forests worldwide.
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