Rainforests are the backbone for flourishing the biodiversity and nature in the lovely planet. They cover more than half of the population of flora and fauna on the mother earth. They are the best source for food not only for the humans but also for many species of birds and animals. They have the most significant contribution for the clean and natural environment, because they remove Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere, and release oxygen into the air. The trees which are found in the rainforests remain green throughout the year and they have unique features. Similarly the rainforests host amazing species of mammals, reptiles, insects, birds and invertebrates. In addition to all of this, the rainforests are also the habitat of many indigenous and traditional races of the world. The indigenous people play a vital role in maintaining the purity in the rainforests as they inhabit in these areas for thousands of years. The rainforests are mainly divided into two categories; the tropical rainforests which are found in the warm and wet parts of the lovely planet and the temperate rainforests which are located in the temperate regions of the lovely planet. Tropical rainforests have a wet season and a dry season. Temperate rainforests have a long, wet winter, and a shorter, drier summer.

The lovely rainforests of the lovely planet receive heavy amount of rainfall as compare to other parts of the world. The heavy rainfall makes their environment extraordinary humid and hot which is ideally suitable for the growth of Bacteria and other microorganisms. High rated growth of Bacteria helps to decompose the dead organic matter rapidly existing on the forest floor. This could be a surprising fact that the rainforests hardly cover 6 % of the area of the lovely planet but they are truly the guardian of our environment. According to an estimate, the major portion of the life saving medicine is derived directly from rainforest plants. More than two-thirds of all medicines found to have cancer-fighting properties come from rainforest plants.

Apart from their enormous importance in our lives, the rainforests have the permanent threat of elimination and deforestation. As the population of the world is growing very fast, heavy logging and land clearance for the vegetation has resulted the shrinking of the rainforests up to a dangerous level. Hundreds of thousands of the species of flora and fauna are vanishing every year because the rainforests are cut down. Despite of the fact that many local and international organizations who are working for the improvement of the situation, the problem is continuing. As fast the situation is becoming worse, it has put a large proportion of the indigenous population of plants, birds, animals and humans at high risk. The conservation of the rainforests which are actually ” the lungs of the lovely planet ” is the need of the day. They are becoming dead so we must stop the loggers, miners, multinational trade and land mafia who are destroying them, before it becomes too late. Surely, we don’t give value to the rainforests now but it is a fearsome fact, if we’ll not safeguard them, they’ll be taught as a past natural wonder in the text books of our upcoming generations.

Following are some fantastic images of  the lovely rainforests of the lovely planet ;

1- Belize Rainforest

Belize Rainforest ( Image: Island Expeditions )

Half of Belize is covered by dense and tropical rainforest which is under government protection. These tropical forests provide habitats for a wide range of animals including jaguar, puma, ocelot, armadillo, tapir and crocodile. The country is also home to 4,000 species of tropical flowers, including 250 kinds of orchids. It harbors over 500 species of birds that soar through Belize’s vine trailed jungles: fruit-loop keel-billed toucans (Belize’s national bird); jabiru stork, the largest flying bird in the Americas; the rare agami heron; hummingbirds; neon-green-painted parrots; an abundance of macaws, heron and snowy egret that delight sharp-eyed eco-travelers.

2- Monteverade Rainforest of Costa Rica

The hanging bridge at Monteverade Rainforest Costa Rica ( Image: Janey Levy )

The Monteverde Rainforest of Costa Rica which is actually a Cloud Forest is one of the most famous jungle areas in the Latin America. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve attracts the visitors from all over the world for its beauty, adventure and great amount biodiversity. It is the home of amazing birds and butterflies, mammals, insects, and thousands of species of plants.

3- The Rainforests of Malaysia

The Rainforest of Malaysia ( Image: By j.labrado )

 You can meet with the Sumatran Rhinoceros, the Clouded Leopard and Malaysian Tiger, the Sun Bear, the Monitor Lizard, and the Orang Utan, or “man of the forest,” only in the rainforests of Malaysia.  These are one of the richest rainforests of the world which are also considered as one of the most ancient on the lovely planet, far older than the equatorial forests of the Amazon or the Congo. Malaysia is not a big country in area but  its rainforests cover almost three quarters of the land, an area equivalent to almost the entire United Kingdom.

4- Rainforests of Thailand

The rainforest in Thailand ( Image by Ben )

The rainforests of Thailand cover almost 25% land area of this Southeast Asian country which makes 14,520,000 hectares. 44.4% of the total forest area in Thailand is known as primary forest area which is 12.6% of total land area i.e. 6,451,000 hectares. Rainforests in Thailand have 30 tree species that have been reported as critically endangered, 21 tree species that have been reported as endangered and 37 as vulnerable in the IUCN red list.

5- Rainforests in Panama

Gamboa rainforest in Panama ( Image: Bryn Tassell )

Panama’s rainforests are home to many mammals that migrated from both North and South America. Among these species are jaguars, tapirs, deer, sloths, anteaters, and armadillos. There are also 650 species of birds and 93 amphibian species in the Panama Canal watershed. The Panama Canal rainforests are some of the most accessible nature-rich rainforests in the world. These forests not only harbor a very diverse community of plants and animals, they also help reduce erosion and sedimentation to the canal.

6- The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia

Dorrigo National Park ( A rainforest in Australia ) Image: Chris McLean

The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia formerly known as the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves, are the most extensive area of subtropical rainforest in the world.^[The reserve includes 50 separate reserves totaling 3,665 square km, clustered around the New South Wales –Queensland border. Protected areas in this property include Lamington, Springbrook, Mt Barney and Main Range National Parks. An estimated 2 million people a year visit this World Heritage area.

7- Mexican Rainforests

An image of a Mexican rainforest by grebberg

 The reserves of the Mexican rainforests are considered as the most northerly tropical and subtropical rainforests of the lovely planet. They have a short dry season, and receive rains throughout the rest of the year. Their location between North and South America make them important for the migration of many species. Tree heights reach 30 m with dominant species such as Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), Mayan Breadnut (Brosimum alicastrum), and Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota). The rainforests of Mexico are  home to the most significant big cat population in North America, and the largest jaguar habitat outside of the Amazon.

8- The Congo Rainforest of Africa

The Congo rainforest in Central Africa ( Image hosted on flickr )

The rainforests of Congo are stretching across the Central Africa and its basin is the second largest on Earth; only the Amazon is larger. Around two-thirds of the region’s intact forest is found in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but it also covers large areas of Gabon, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo. The Congo is one of the world’s most threatened ecosystems. Commercial logging, clearing for subsistence agriculture, and widespread civil strife has devastated forests, displaced forest dwellers, and resulted in the expansion of the “bushmeat” trade. Since the 1980s, Africa has had the highest deforestation rates of any region on the globe. The wealth of biodiversity is also immense. Forest elephants roam the area as do three species of great ape: gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos. Animals and birds such as okapi and the Congo peacock are found nowhere else.

9- The Temperate Rainforest in Alaska

An ariel view of the temperate Alaskan rainforest ( Image: Royce Bair )

Many of us can’t believe that there a rainforest in Alaska, but one of the rarest types of forest on the lovely planet are located along the Alaskan coast. It is actually a coastal temperate rainforest, and it’s home to an amazing variety of wildlife, from whales to wolves, grizzly bears to the salmon they feed on. In fact, the Alaskan rainforest holds some of the richest and most abundant life on Earth. The ancient trees of this forest live from 200 to 700 years, and one species can survive for 1,000 years or more.

10- Amazonia – The Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rain Forest - ( Image: CIFOR © Neil Palmer / CIAT )

The Amazona is the name of the Amazon rainforest which is one of the world’s greatest natural resources. Because its vegetation continuously recycles carbon dioxide into oxygen, it has been described as the “Lungs of our Lovely Planet”. About 20% of earth’s oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest.  The area covered by the Amazonia includes territory belonging to nine nations. The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with 60% of the rainforest, followed by Peru with 13%, Colombia with 10%, and with minor amounts in, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. The region is home to about 2.5 million insect species,tens of thousands of plants, and some 2,000 birds and mammals. To date, at least 40,000 plant species, 2,200 fishes, 1,294 birds, 427 mammals, 428 amphibians, and 378 reptiles have been scientifically classified in the region. The biodiversity of plant species is the highest on Earth with some experts estimating that one square kilometer (247 acres) may contain more than a thousand types of trees and thousands of species of other higher plants. According to a 2001 study, a quarter square kilometer (62 acres) of Ecuadorian rainforest supports more than 1,100 tree species.

This article is added only to deliver the knowledge and importance about the rainforests. We can’t cover the whole range of the rainforests of the world in one article. Rainforests are found in many other countries of the world and they have their own beauty and grace. But one thing in all of these rainforests whether they are temperate or tropical is common ; that they are threatened by only one creatre ; the human.

It was the “Land of Wild Roses” before it became the highest battlefield of the world. It was the Armageddon of storms but the human megalomania made it the combat zone between two potential nations of the world. We believe that Pakistanis or Indians feel pride that this frozen pool exists in their area but not sure whether they like this to be the bone of contention among them. By now, it would have become a necropolis of hundreds of soldiers. What if we make it a real Peace Park?

Siachen Glacier: The Land of Wild Roses ( Image: Pawel Kopczynski )

In the eastern Karakoram Range, just adjacent to the Line of Control, the second largest glacier outside the Polar Regions lies with all of its glory and esteem. This is known as Siachen Glacier, the land of wild roses which is a word from Balti language. Sia means “roses” while Chen denotes “something in abundance”. This name was associated to this no man’s land for its lower basin to be the botanic garden of exotic flowers and thorny shrubs which grow on the rocky outcrops. The military presence was out of question before 1980’s as it was only the home of majestic peaks and glacial masses far from the human inhabitation. It lies right in the middle of the Saltoro Ridge which originates in the north from the Sia Kangri peak on the China border in the Karakoram Range. Due to its extensive glacial geography sometimes it is also referred as the “Third Pole” and it separates the Eurasian Plate from the Indian Subcontinent. Siachen Glacier is almost 75 Km long but the whole of Siachen Glacier system including its tributary ice bergs cover an area about 700 km² (270 sq mi). Siachen Glacier is also the water source of the Nubra River of Ladakh which falls into the Shyok River. Shyok ultimately drains into the great Indus River.

Siakangri Peak ( Image : Aitor Las Hayas )

Siachen Glacier was technically under the control of Pakistan as most of the mountaineering expedition permits were granted by the Government of Pakistan. This area was far from the military presence but on 13^th April, 1984 the Operation Meghdoot was launched by the Kumaoun Regiment of the Indian Army and occupied the top area of the Siachen Glacier. As a result of which Pakistan also responded with the quick deployment of her Army but meanwhile the control of the Sia La and Bilfond La passes were taken by the Indian troops. Gyong La pass remained under the control of Pakistan but since then it has become the mountain warfare between these two countries. However all the access to the neighboring high Mountain Peaks is blocked by the Pakistan Army and whole the expeditions pass through the approval of the Pakistani Government.

Water melting from the Siachen Glacier ( Image By Ankit Varshneya )

“The Land of Wild Roses” is now the highest battlefield of the world and no permanent demarcation of the Line of Control has resulted into a long dispute between these two nations. Currently, the situation is that neither Pakistan Army can go up to the glacier nor the Indian troops can come down. According to the statistics, both armies have spent trillions and suffered from the 6,000 personal causalities of the soldiers. Major causalities are the result of the severe weather conditions. The climate of this area is completely inhospitable and avalanche-prone terrains have claimed more lives than the gunfire.

A major catastrophe occurred on 10^th of April, 2012, when the Military Camp of Pakistan was destroyed by the hit of a monstrous avalanche and more than 130 Pakistani soldiers were buried over there. Both sides are apparently agreed to vacate this area from their respective troops but practically they are reluctant to take the first step. There is no real justification to militarize the Siachen Glacier and this is extremely better to restore the Siachen Glacier in its preposition. The huge and useless expenses which have occurred in all  of this military exercise are criticized by the philanthropists of the both sides.

Another major concern is the ecological disturbance of this area as the glaciers are melting on a rapid rate. Both of the Governments must consider that their bloodthirsty campaign is putting the population of the both countries under risk of catastrophic floods and droughts .The environment is being polluted and the massive area is degraded. On the other side the Global Warming has also significantly reduced the Siachen Glacier over recent decades. This place was the habitat of Snow Leopards and Snow Bears but now their dens are being eliminated due to habitat destruction and war. The Indian Government has installed a long Oil pipeline on its side along the Siachen Glacier and both of the armies are continuously using chemicals to melt and cut through the perfect glacial ice to build their bunkers, helipads and airfields.

The people of both of these great nations really want to establish the Siachen Glacier, the land of wild roses as a real Peace Park. This area can be converted into an environment friendly national park. Both of the countries have enough land to house their people and now this is the time to move forward and forget the past. Otherwise our upcoming generations will only find this as a past natural wonder in their geographical literature.

Cal Madow, the beautiful mountain range of the Northern Somalia is also suffering from environmental degradation. Normally, Somalia remains in the news for the horrific warfare and famine situation. But a very few of us know that Somalia is also a home of a unique flora comprising of more than 500 species of plants. Most of them grow in Cal Madow which is now a sparse and unprotected area of Somalia.

There was a time before 1980’s, when Cal Madow was an important tourist destination but after that, this area was not developed by the Somali authorities. The mountain range of Cal Madow extends from several miles in the west of Bosaso to the North West of Erigavo. The highest peak of Cal Madow mountain range is 2500m at Shembir beris in the North West of Erigavo. The thick mountain forests are spread at an altitude of between 700–800 m above sea level, and has a mean annual rainfall of 750–850 mm.

Somali Golden-winged Grosbeak . Image : Angie Pattison

There is no detailed botanic and biological research conducted in this area so exact statistics of the endemic species are unknown. The area of Cal Madow owes wonderful ecology and natural environment. There is a big concern for the proper conservation and protection of this area. The local people are also cutting the splendid juniper and boodar trees from the evergreen forests of Cal Madow. We must also remember that this is also causing a bog problem for the fauna of this area, as Cal Madow of Somalia is a natural habitat of many rare wild species.