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The Challenge Facing Rainforests
Rainforests are the richest places on earth holding the majority of the planet's biodiversity, yet 100 acres of rainforests are cleared every minute. This unprecedented loss is due to the devastating effects of:
- deforestation for timber
- conversion to farmland for cattle and crops such as soy
- infrastructure projects, like dams and roads
- mining and oil exploitation
The threats are grave, but by targeting the highest priority areas and taking these areas off the market for destructive development, we are able to combat these pressures.
WLT-US is a founding member of the Alliance for Zero Extinction which has identified the highest priority sites necessary for preventing the immediate extinction of the worlds rarest species. Through the efforts of scientists and conservationists, we are able to identify where biodiversity is concentrated and target financial resources at these areas to achieve the greatest conservation gains. For example, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites cover just 1.4% of the surface of the planet yet contain an amazingly high concentration of terrestrial biodiversity--more than 60%!