Rainforest destruction has many clear immediate causes, as well as many implications for our environment, health, and lives. There are many people who make their livelihood out of destroying these wondrous ecosystems, and it provides so many products and amenities for our lives. What many people do not realize, however, is that all of the actions that seem to be helping humans, are only going to harm us in the long run. The problems tied in with the massive destruction of the rainforest have already shown themselves to us, and scientists and environmentalists now question if the effects are irreversible.

Commercial logging is a main contributor to deforestation. It consists of mature trees being cut down for timber. Those who support this practice state that by using a selective logging method, the forest will regrow itself in time. However, due to the nature of the machinery and practices used by the logging industry, this is not true. As the soil is disrupted, the rainforest has a difficult time of re-growing, therefore people and animals who depend on the rainforests to live are severely effected.

Also, logging roads are created for farmers to have access to the forest area, and this destroys even more of the rainforest. A very small amount of industrial logging is sustainable, according to The International Tropical Timber Organisation. These shifted cultivators, or people who have moved into rainforest areas in order to conduct small-scale farming operations, are responsible for at least 60% of tropical rainforest loss. As they find that the soil is not fertile, they are forced to move deeper into the forest, which destroys more of the rainforest and its ecosystems. Ironically, these landless peasants are usually forced from their land due to logging, mining, large-scale agriculture, hydroelectric dams, and industrial development.

Another cause of this destruction is the clearing of undisturbed rainforest land for the purpose of tree plantations, food crops, and land for grazing cattle. The local people are made to go hungry, while these crops are sent to rich industrialized countries. Since the agriculture practices are now so destructive and the soil is insufficient to grow much of anything, the productivity of these cash crops or monoculture plantations declines rapidly after only a few years. Cattle also destroy the land with their extensive grazing.

This list of causes is not exhaustive, as there are many others that affect the delicate nature of the rainforest, the indigenous people, and the creatures that make it their home. Fuel wood is taken out of these forests, hydro-electric dams are built by cutting down the trees for their use, indigenous people have been displaced for mining and industrial projects, as well as the practices of rainforest area colonization of people from financially poorer countries and eco-tourism have all harmed these ecosystems.  Many solutions have been proposed, yet the battle wages on between continuing harmful destruction, and the restoration of the trees and protection of species and indigenous people.

It may only be the start of Autumn, but retailers are already eyeing up the prospect of Christmas and preparing to stock the shops with the first gifts for the festive season.

Last year, the Rainforest Foundation UK held an online auction event to raise funds and awareness of rainforest deforestation. It was a huge success and will be repeated again this year, with a fantastic array of gift items for those wishing to score a one-off celebrity endorsed gift, whilst supporting a very worthwhile charity.

As with last year, there’ll be plenty of gifts that no money could buy, such as lunch at Sting’s country manor, Kylie Minogue signed items, Jenny Packham, Aspinal of London and Vivienne Westwood goodies and VIP hampers, gig tickets, spa dates, Michelin star restaurant experiences, championship golf course rounds and signed football goodies amongst others!

The auction will raise valuable funds and help raise awareness of the charity’s work. It’s also a great way of showing how retailers can combine the festive retail trend with charitable support work – particularly as Christmas has always been a time of year traditionally associated with giving. It’s a great opportunity to buy rainforest protection themed gifts and trinkets for your loved ones and help them learn about the rainforest and its need for protection.

Other good gifts include charitable or sponsorship gifts – for example a donation towards a charity’s work, a replanted tree, or a gift of a well for a displaced Amazonian village. These are examples of gifts that support, grow and preserve the planet, rather than creating more consumer items that will eventually add to the growing piles of landfill. They can also be great for engaging and interesting people in the education and preservation work of the Rainforest Foundation and other charities and have a far longer lasting effect than the average Christmas gift, which might otherwise be discarded by New Year!