What are the real reasons why the rainforest is being destroyed? Agriculture, cattle ranching, dams, logging, mining and oil companies are all major reasons our rainforests are disappearing. Animals, plants and even humans lose their homes. Is this important? Can they be saved? The main cause of the disappearance of rainforests today is cattle ranching. “Eighty percent of the rainforest is transformed into pasture (Jamie).” “Nearly 200 square feet of rainforest land is being destroyed due to cattle ranching (Jamie).” Fifty percent of the rainforest is destroyed due to burning. “Slash-and-burn is the process of cutting down the vegetation on a particular plot of land and then setting fire to the remaining foliage (Steif). » “In twenty years, Costa Rica will no longer have a tropical forest (Jamie). » All over the world, farmers have to move and destroy more and more each year. The second largest cause is logging. Logging causes a lot of destruction. The wood we use on a daily basis comes from logging. “Logging is devastating to animals and plants due to environmental change (Jamie). » The more trees loggers cut down, the more plants and animals they kill. The canopy is a big help in the rainforest. The canopy blocks heat and keeps air in at night. Cutting down the canopy means wasting the rainforest. It lets heat in and cool air out, thereby damaging the plants and animals of the rainforest with the change in the environment. Huge trees like mahogany and teak are cut down and used to make furniture all over the world. The smaller trees are then used for charcoal. Large areas of the rainforest are being cut down in one go. Then the most valuable tree... middle of paper ...... is found in the ecosystem where the trees were cut down (Mongabay). »  “Encourage people to live in a way that does not harm the environment (Mongabay)”  « Create parks to protect rainforests (Mongabay).  « Support businesses that operate in a way that minimizes damage caused to the environment (Mongabay). E Scott 4Works Page cited: 1. “Deforestation” National Geographic, Thomas Munita, written April 10, 2014, accessed April 16, 20142. “How can we save the rainforests? Mongabay Audley trip. Written on April 11, 2014, accessed April 16, 20143. “Why is the rainforest being destroyed? » Tropical forest concern. Written April 1, 2014, accessed April 16, 20144. “Skish and Burn Agriculture” Steif, Collin. About.com. Intern in Geography. Written on May 14, 2013, accessed on May 5, 2014.5. “Interesting Rainforest Facts” srl.caltech.edu. Written on May 1, 2014. Accessed on May 9 2014.