As China Grows Rich, Rainforests Fall

© 2011 Craig Simons

A crane unloads timber at the Zhangjiagang port in China’s Jiangsu province. Growing Chinese demand is driving logging throughout the world.

A crane unloads timber at the Zhangjiagang port in China’s Jiangsu province. Growing Chinese demand is driving logging throughout the world.

The author stands in front of a section of a kevanzingo tree from Gabon at the Zhangjiagang port in China’s Jiangsu province.

The author stands in front of a section of a kevanzingo tree from Gabon at the Zhangjiagang port in China’s Jiangsu province.

Papua New Guinea’s rainforest is among the world’s most diverse environments. Hundreds of thousands of species remain unknown to science.

Papua New Guinea’s rainforest is among the world’s most diverse environments. Hundreds of thousands of species remain unknown to science.

A scientist displays some of Papua New Guinea’s hundreds of butterfly species.

A scientist displays some of Papua New Guinea’s hundreds of butterfly species.

A truck hauls timber from a forest in Papua New Guinea, one of the world’s most beautiful and most threatened landscapes.

A truck hauls timber from a forest in Papua New Guinea, one of the world’s most beautiful and most threatened landscapes.