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The Future of Rainforest Medicine
The future of rainforest plants and medicine is inevitably intertwined with the fate of the rainforests. If the forests perish at the rate they are currently, we will most definitely lose out on all the potential benefits they would have offered us. This dire scenario applies not only to medicinal plants, but also oxygen, rain, millions of species, and indigenous peoples.
The rainforest’s plants offer us a multitude of possible treatments and cures for disease. The current deforestation and ensuing loss of wildlife threaten medical discoveries in ways we cannot yet fathom.
According to experts (Taylor, 2004) there are two vital factors in protecting the rainforests. First is to support the rights of indigenous people to their land and resources. Secondly, one must be a knowledgeable and responsible consumer. It is important to know where products come from and where your money is actually going. Supporting sustainable economies and indigenous enterprises is crucial to the longevity of the rainforests. As consumers, we must learn to meet our needs without compromising the needs of future generations.
If we succeed in protecting our rainforests, we will no doubt see great strides in the pharmacological world, with new and exciting medicines helping those in need. Rainforest medicines have a lengthy history and with our attention and effort, a long future.
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Non-profits
The Tropical Forest Trust (TFT) and Forest Stewards Council (FSC) are non-profit organizations that are committed to sustainable and responsible management of the Earth’s forests, including the rainforests. The FSC sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way. The TFT, on the other hand helps businesses determine where their wood products are coming from and that they are obtained in a manner that is sustainable. They also help to ensure indigenous and other local communities share in the benefits.
Non-profits such as these are making conservation of the rainforests an attainable goal. They make it easier for consumers to purchase tropical wood products. If the rainforest trees are depleted, the many medicinal plants will be lost. It is important to focus on protecting the entire rainforest, not specific species, especially considering we have identified so few.
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