This has happened over much of north and eastern Africa, leading to massive famines as the rains stop, crops fail, the topsoil is then blown away, and what is left is desert. Boreal forests require disturbances such as fires for natural reproduction and rejuvenation. However, climate change is likely to dramatically accelerate the intensity and frequency of fires, which are more common during warm, dry weather, resulting in the release of more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Climatic changes will have the greatest impact on boreal forests, as they are more sensitive to temperature fluctuations than temperate or even tropical forests. If climate change is left unchecked, it is thought that over half of the existing boreal forest and its species may disappear in the next 50 years.
Forests have several major functions.
Most importantly they help to regulate the Earth's climate and are home for millions of indigenous peoples, animals and plants. Forests influence the global climate most notably by taking in carbon dioxide, one of the main greenhouse gases, and moving water from the soil to the atmosphere. The interconnectedness of the planetary ecosystem is a reminder of our spiritual interconnectedness with all things. When we see the planetary ecosystem going out of balance or starting to break down, we are being given a very clear physical message about what happens when we close our consciousness to our spiritual interconnectivity with all things. Part of the service that the animal and vegetable kingdoms are performing is to act as a reminder to us about who we really are.