The world's rain forests are the richest ecosystems on Earth, containing an incredible variety of plant and animal life. These forests play an important role in maintaining the health and biodiversity of the planet. But rain forests throughout the world are rapidly being destroyed, threatening the survival of millions of species of plants and animals and disrupting climate and weather patterns. The rain forests of greatest concern are those located in tropical regions, particularly those found in Central and South America, and the ancient temperate rain forests along the northeastern coast of North America.

Tropical rain forests (TRFs) are amazingly rich and diverse biologically and may contain one-half to two-thirds of all species of plants and animals, though these forests cover only about 5–7% of the world's land surface. Tropical rain forests are found near the equatorial regions of Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and on...