Money Is Grow On Trees
Rainforests are not just places where trees bloom - they are also useful sources of food, medicine and livelihoods. What is more, they help to create rain and capture large amounts of carbon.The Straits Times explores the nature Treasury.
Tropical rainforests cover just6% of the Earth's surface, but contain up to 75% or more of the world's species.The main hubs are:The American rainforest (Brazil Amazon, 4,000,000 square kilometers)The Indo-Malaysian rainforest (South-East Asia, 2.5 5,000,000 square kilometers) The African rain forest(Central West Africa,1.88,000,000 sq mi)The world's tropical rainforests have been depleted by over 60% in the past six decades, Deforestation causes about 20,000 hectares of forest are lost every day. In Singapore, rainforests usually protected by setting land aside as legally protected national parks, like Bukit Timah Nature Reserve or offsite conservation to save gene banks for future restoration in nature.
1.Nature's Kitchen
Plants from tropical rain forests provide some of the most vital ingredients for any chef worth his salt, spices. Among rainforests' many fruits, durian has become synonymous with Singapore identity. There are about 370 forest fruits native to this region.
Nutmeg
Native to the Spice Islands, nutmeg tree produces fruit nutmeg and mace. It was so precious that even the Dutch sent out search-and-destroy crews to control the spread of the nutmeg seed. It is most often associated with sweet and spicy dishes.
Durian
Singaporeans need no introduction to the "king of fruits". Some 1,000 tons were imported from Malaysia every year.
Petai Beans
Indigenous Petai tree produces beans in her long, fleshy green pods and they are bekend as "stink bean". They Health benefits and delicious and often found in Thai, Indonesian and Malaysian dishes despite their strong odor.
2. Nature's Pharmacy
According to the World Health Organization, about 80 percent of the world's population use plant-based drugs for Health care needs. Only 1,000 or so of the more than 250,000 species of flowering plants have been investigated for
Medicinal properties.
Tongkat Ali
Malaysia answer to Viagra. It is said to increase male sexual desire and has also traditionally been used to treat diseases such as diarrhea, fever, malaria and wounds. Exports to Japan alone make Malaysia RM3.8 8 billion (S $ 1.6 6 billion) per year.
Penang Betelnut Palm
Nuts of this plant has an intoxicating effect when chewed and can destroy intestinal worms - but prolonged chewing can cause cancer of the oral cavity.
Rosy Periwinkle
It can treat form of childhood leukemia and certain tumors.
Snake Root
Historical held in great esteem in India, it is effective against snake bites and can treat high blood pressure.
Fueling Economies
Plants have built national economies and even sparked wars between European powers trying to colonize the area. Day, millions of jobs still depend on many humble-looking plants.
Rattan
There are about 500 species of rattan in this region |. 3. The worldwide trade in value added finished rattan products such as Handicraft and furniture is worth about U.S. $ 1.2 2 billion (S $ 1.5 5 billion).
Bamboo
The many uses of bamboo stalks in house building, crafting musical instruments and furniture-making have "I am led to demand for the plant in Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea. Furniture Manufacturers also love the facility because it is environmentally friendly and tough.
Oil Palm
Malaysia is now the world's largest exporter of palm oil products. The oil extracted from the fruit can be used for cooking, and is also an ingredient in soaps, detergents, cosmetics and bio-diesel.
Gene Bank
Despite the controversy over genetically modified food, the rapid growth of the human population has made it even,Enter more certainty to cultivate food crops more efficiently.
Bananas
To protect commercially cultivated bananas from fungal diseases such as black Sigatoka, genes from wild banana varieties in Southeast Asia.
Para rubber
Corresponding genes of wild para rubber trees are crossed with existing components to produce higher yield varieties.
