TROPICAL FORESTS
Tropical rainforests - though they account for only 6%of the Earth's land surface - are believed to contain more than half of all the species of organisms on the planet (The Diversity of Life, E.O. Wilson). Due to the abundant source of solar energy and the consistency in climate, creatures and plants in tropical rainforests can evolve in unusual and diverse ways.

Each animal and plant develop different, often specialized, characteristics in order to survive amongst its many neighbors and predators. With so much biodiversity concentrated in our tropical rainforests, and only a fraction of which have been identified to date, the rainforests and its inhabitants are largely unknown.

John Longino, an entomologist from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, is the scientific coordinator for Project ALAS in Costa Rica. Since its start in 1991, Project ALAS aims to get a better understanding of the thousands of insects and their relationship to each other and the environment in the tropical rainforests. To date, hundreds of new species of insects have been identified.

Dr. John Longino talks about how the small actions and choices in our daily lives can affect an entire community's outlook on the environment. (To receive the content of this clip in an alternate format, please mail julie.mitchell@kingcounty.gov)

Unfortunately, rainforest all over the world are being cut down for timber, farmlands, and growing populations. We could also be killing plants and insects that can provide undiscovered cures to diseases. And we may exterminate a species of insect or animal that is a "keystone species," a vital component in the health of rainforests.

Small personal choices can help slow down or eliminate the need to cut down these rainforests. By setting an example yourself, the conservation message can have a ripple affect on your family, your neighbors and your community.

Many countries struggle to balance their need for natural resources, farmable land and space with the preservation of their environments and biodiversity. Countries like Peru and Costa Rica are discovering that preserving their rainforests can be profitable. Profits from tourists visiting the wonders of the rainforests now exceed Costa Rica's income from coffee and bananas.

And coffee growers in Mexico and Central America are starting to use shade-growing techniques to minimize habitat destruction.

With some effort we can preserve the living Edens of Earth and allow these lush environments to continue producing the dazzling array of animals and insects that make the rainforests the mystical place we know.

Now let's visit the rushing
rivers of the Pacific Northwest.