The public has been made aware of the critical state of the Amazon through media coverage of the incredibly destructive burning that has occurred there this past year. The wildfires are on one hand due to intensified drought conditions brought on by climate change, and on the other hand are due to the uncontrolled slash and burn practices being used to transform functioning forest into pastures for cattle and agricultural fields. Slash-and-burn practices are described as follows: existing vegetation is cut down and burned off, the ashes providing a source of nutrients to poor tropical soils before new seeds are sown, typically used as a method for clearing forest land for farming. The current state of the Amazon Rainforest is very fragile. Should the world powers, and Brazil’s current president, decide to stay on the current course of actions, the integrity of the Amazon basin will be destroyed, and in a manner that will not allow an equivalent alternative to be produced.