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Abstract:
Saving the tropical rain forest is presently high on the list of priorities of many international conservation organizations. In the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) it is a priority subject area. IUCN and WWF are also making big efforts in this regard. 1975 and forthcoming years will see considerable funds being devoted to this end.
Tropical rain forests (and tropical cloud forests) still cover large expanses throughout the world, but they are fast dwindling for a great variety of reasons. To be successful in the campaign, it is important that conservation officials be prepared for a series of questions, and
often adverse reactions, from people with different backgrounds who sincerely do not think that it is really worthwhile spending so much energy on safeguarding the tropical rain and cloud forests, and indeed would rather see large tracts disappear - the sooner the better.
The following short and incomplete analysis is intended to provide some answers which
hopefully should be easy to convey to an unsophisticated audience. Needless to say, the answers should not be considered as testproof everywhere, much less comprehensive of the various prevailing conditions. Undoubtedly there are many more and often better arguments
which can be advanced, depending on the specifìc prevailing conditions, the audience and other factors, and there will be further evolutions condeming arguments and emphasis with changing conditions. Therefore, great caution should always be exercised in the presentation of arguments, in providing satisfactory answers, and in pointing out the significance of tropical rain forests in their various aspects.
