Scientists, environmentalists and government planners know about the importance of tropical forests, but the average person is generally unaware of the serious implications of forest destruction. Tropical forests are the oldest and most diverse ecosystem on earth: they regulate the climate, ensure a constant supply of fresh water to lowland farms, and provide us with food, fuel, fibres, building materials and medicines. They are an impostant source of food in parts of the world where rapidly increasing populations are putting pressure on slim resources.
The forest is also important ecologically. Destroying it will result in soil erosion, landslide and degradation of valuable farm land. It will reduce productivity of river fisheries.
In addition, the genetic security of many crops depends on the survival of the forest. Tropical forest provide rubber, cocoa, numerous pharmaceuticals, dyes and tanning agents. They also supply oils used in floor polishes and cosmetics; spices such as chilli and vanilla, and useful materials such as rattan, cane, dan bamboo. Tropical forests contain about half of the world’s estimated ten milliom species of plants, yet less than one percent have been studied for their possible benefits to mankind.
For all those reasons, the State Minister of Develeopment, Supervision and Environment has consistently been trying to halt the process of erosion in Indonesia. Through the medium of television he keeps on asking our people to stop destroying trees and forests. He says that the excessive felling of trees and the reckless opening up of tropical rain forests will only speed up the destruction of the entire country.
| campaign | kampanye |
| conservation | pelestarian |
| environmentalist | ahli lingkungan hidup |
| planner | perencana |
| to be aware of | menyadari |
| to be unaware of | tidak menyadari |
| implication | hal yang tersimpul |
| destruction | penghancuran |
| diverse | bermacam-macam |
| ecosystem | ekosistem |
| to ensure | menjamin |
| fibre | serat |
| degradation | kemerosotan |
| to put pressure on | mengadakan tekanan terhadap |
| slim resources | sumber yang tak memadai |
| genetic | hal yang berhubungan dengan keturunan |
| felling | penebangan |
| security | keamanan |
| numerous | banyak |
| pharmaceutical | obat-obatan |
| dyes | bahan pewarna |
| tanning agent | bahan penyamak |
| chilli | lombok |
| estimated | diperkirakan |
| spices | bumbu-bumbu |
| mankind | umat manusia |
| consistently | terus menerus |
| to halt | menghentikan |
| excessive | terlalu banyak |
| reckless | sembrono, nekad |
| opening up | pembukaan |
| landslide | tanah longsor |
| productivity | produktivitas, daya produksi |
| to speed up | membercepat |
