Freshwater resources are an indispensable component of the Earth's hydrosphere and all terrestrial ecosystems. This environment not only houses thousands of species of flora and fauna, but also irrigates our crops, quenches our thirst, and contributes to the hydrological cycle.

Unfortunately, the human race has damaged these resources, a calamity destined to endanger the planet as a whole. Deforestation, erosion, sedimentation, the construction of dams, the creation of reservoirs, waste dumping, and leakage of pollution into freshwater bodies and ground water is leading to the deterioration of the planets freshwater resources. Substances foreign to these environments concentrate within freshwater organisms in a process known as bioaccumulation. As a result, countless ecosystems are destroyed and species are endangered. These events are not self-contained, however, as the freshwater resources touch every aspect of the planet. Rivers and streams flow into the world's oceans, water vapor travels through the atmosphere, and rain showers on every terrestrial ecosystem.

Forests, whether in the Pacific Northwest or central Brazil, are essential to a healthful environment. Throughout the planet, forests pose as homes for thousands of species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and insects. They stand as producers in the food pyramid, comprising the foundation upon which all other species thrive. As photosynthesizers, forests contribute to the planet's oxygen supply, a gas the Earth cannot afford to lose. Additionally, trees' roots secure the soil of the forest floor, preventing the erosion and eventual degradation of the topography.

In the Earth's equatorial regions, rain forests house over half the world's species of flora and fauna. Thousands of plants known to cure disease have been harvested from these forests, and an unknown number have yet to be discovered.

Tragically, the human race has interfered with the planet's forests. Agricultural expansion, increasing human needs, commercial logging, inadequate forest-fire control, and airborne pollutants have all contributed to the plight of the Earth's forests. With woodlands on the decline, countless species of plants and animals have been destroyed. In the old-growth forests of Oregon, commercial logging has led to the destruction of the Spotted Owl's habitat. In the Rain Forests of Brazil, 2 acres of forest are slashed and burned every 3 seconds. At this rate, the forests may be lost before some species may even be discovered. Perhaps a cure for cancer lies in the forests of Madagascar, yet we will never find it.