By Environmental News Network staff
A group of respected European scientists declared earlier this week that efforts to save most of the worlds rain forests are doomed to failure and should probably be abandoned, leaving whatever resources are available to concentrate on the few areas in the world where it is still possible to save them.Coral reefs are often called the rain forests of the sea and they are facing the same fate as their landbased cousins. One of the few places where it may not be too late is the Dry Tortugas.The series of seven islands, which in total are less than a single square mile of land, lie about 70 miles west of the Florida Keys. In 1935, a 115squaremile area which included the seven tiny islands was designated as a national monument. In 1992, it was renamed and redesignated as a National Park. The national park status conferred more protection to the areas marine resources.In July 1997, the 2,800squarenauticalmile ecosystem surrounding the Florida Keys, which includes the third largest barrier reef system in the world, was designated as a national marine sanctuary.
