world’s tropical forests are rapidly disappearing, with the Maya rainforest losing 33% of its forest cover over the past 23 years, particularly in Petén, Guatemala
The Disappearance of the Maya Rainforest: A Call to Action The world’s tropical forests are rapidly disappearing, with the Maya rainforest losing 33% of its forest cover over the past 23 years, particularly in Petén, Guatemala. This alarming trend is primarily driven by the livestock industry, as highlighted in a recent report by NASA, which utilized data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to track changes in forest cover since 1999. The Importance of the Maya Rainforest The Maya rainforest is the second-largest tropical forest in the Americas and was designated as a biosphere reserve in 1990, covering over 21,000 square kilometers. The establishment of this reserve allowed local inhabitants to remain in certain areas, provided they used the forest sustainably. Many residents engaged in low-impact activities such as selective logging of mahogany, harvesting hibiscus flowers, honey, and chicle resin, which not only supported their livelihoods but...