Palm Oil vs. the Rainforest
In Palm Oil vs. the Rainforest, naturalist Steve Backshall discusses ways in which the production of palm oil could minimize the risk to the rainforest and the survival of animals. This video is excerpted from BBC's Deadly 60, an award-winning nature and adventure show for kids in which narrator Steve Backshall has one mission: to travel the globe in search of 60 of the world's deadliest animals.
Lesson Express
Q: Why can't we just stop producing palm oil?
A: People depend on palm oil farming to make a living, and planting other oil trees takes up even more space.
Q: Why is it efficient to produce palm oil?
A: It requires cutting down less forest than other oils.
Q: What are some ideas that help maintain diversity within palm oil plantations?
A: Plantations can have corridors of trees for animals to live within the plantation. It also helps to leave fallen leaves instead of cleaning them up to create smaller animal habitats.
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