What can we learn from tropical rainforests?

Photo by Ard Hesslink

Fifty percent of all known plants and animals occur in tropical rainforests, which cover just six percent of the earth’s surface. There is much we can learn from how each of these millions of species has adapted to the challenges of living in a tropical habitat. By emulating their strategies in our designs and following life’s principles, we can learn to live more sustainably.

For more information about the importance of rainforests and what you can do to help protect this rich source of inspiration, visit the website for the Prince’s Rainforests Project.

Photo by teejaybee

Approximately 80% of all insect species live in tropical rainforests.

Photo by flickrfavorites

"In a purely technical sense, each species of higher organism—beetle, moss, and so forth, is richer in information than a Caravaggio painting, Mozart symphony, or any other great work of art." –Edward O. Wilson

Here we present 24 strategies used by rainforest species that can inspire biomimetic designs.

Photo by Bob Snyder

The rainforest is home to 155,000 out of 225,000 plant species known in the world.