What is a Tropical Rain Forest ? A Tropical Rain Forest is a forest located in a narrow region, near the equator in Africa, South and Central America, and Asia.  Technically defined, a tropical Rain Forest is a forest which receives 4 to 8 metres of rain per year.  Beyond that, a tropical Rain Forest is nature's sanctuary for untold numbers of plants, animals and insects.

Why preserve the Rain Forest ? Rain Forests control climate by influencing wind, rainfall, humidity and temperature.  They recycle water, oxygen and carbon which reduces soil erosion, flooding and air pollution.  At stake is the health of our planet.  "Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children."  This ancient proverb says it well, saving our environment is the most compelling reason for preserving the Rain Forest.  By combatting environmental problems we can preserve the earth for generations to come.

Why are Rain Forests so important ? while rain forests make up only 2% of the earth's surface they support over half of the world's wild plant, animal and insect life.  In a typical four square mile patch of Rain Forest you find over 750 species of trees, over 15 different kinds of flowering plants, 125 different mammals, 400 kinds of birds, 100 reptiles, 60 amphibians and countless insects.                                                            one quarter of today's pharmaceuticals come from trpoical Rain Forest plants. This includes medicines that treat heart disease and childhood leukemia.  The National Cancer Insitute has identified that 70% of the plants useful in cancer treatment can only be found in Rain Forests. Approximately 1,400 plants found in Rain Forests are believed to offer cures for cancer.                    tropical Rain Forests produce oxygen and consume carbon dioxide.  Deforestation contributes between 10% and 30% of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions, thus contributing to global warming. Burning of tropical forests is responsible for one-tenth or more of this green house effect.         Rain Forests are a critical link in the ecological chain of life.  Our Earth once had an estimated 6 million square miles of tropical Rain Forest - today only 3.5 million square miles remian.  We have already destroyed close to half of all the world's Rain Forests.  At a disappearing rate of approxiately 100 acres per minute, 80% of today's Rain Forests will be gone by the year 2000!

Costa Rica is situated in Central America, as the pillar of democratic stability between Panama on the south and Nicaragua on the north.  

The region near the Panama border is known as Talamanca.

Potrero Grands, the town closest to the parcels of rain forest to be preserved by Friends of the Forest, is located in the Talamanca region.  

The Property is adjacent to La Amistad, The Friendship International Park.

The best way to save it is to OWN it!

Friends of the Forest is working to preserve our planet's rapidly disappearing Rain Forest.  It has purchased rain forest property in Costa Rica to ensure that  the land will not be used for mining, farming, ranching, logging or any other commercial activity.  

If you want to help Friends of the Forest preserve the Rain Forest you can do so by purchasing 10 square meters of property which is available through the Rain Forest preservation kit, for Lm12.  This ensures that there will be no construction, clearing or excavation on the land, nor removal of flora or fauna.  Besides the Property may not be accessible by public or private roads and may  not have access to utilities.

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