Though we often take the plants and trees around us for granted, almost every aspect of our lives depends upon them. They feed us, clothe us, absorb carbon dioxide, provide us with oxygen, and give us building materials and medications. When drastic changes occur to the vegetation around us, our health, economy, and environment are all affected. Twenty-five years ago, for instance, thousands of people starved when the vegetation in the Sahel region of Africa dried up during an extended drought. Over the past five decades deforestation in South America has left thousands of acres fallow and has destroyed many species including possible valuable medications.