The landscape of the world is always changing. Geological processes like tectonism, denudation and volcanism have shaped the face of Earth as we know it over the course of billions of years. Unfortunately, much of the natural phenomena on the planet today is transforming for the worse due to human encroachment. Whether the effects of global warming, deforestation, urbanization or heavy tourism are to blame, the fact of the matter is that these precious gems are rapidly deteriorating right before our eyes.

The snowfield of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is quickly thawing. Signs point to global warming.

Farming, irrigation and development are draining the water necessary to sustain the Everglades in South Florida. Restoration plans have done little, as this landscape now covers only half of its original territory.

Rising water temperatures, which cause coral bleaching, and increasing acidity levels are gradually killing the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia.

Scientists estimate that sometime between 2030- 2050, the last glacier in the Swiss Alps will have melted away.

The cypress forests throughout the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana have been decimated to manufacture mulch. Every year, 25 square miles of these stunning wetlands are lost forever to the sea.

Rampant tourism in the Galapagos Islands is causing more disturbance than this fragile setting can long endure.

Due to increased temperatures, the ice shelf of South Georgia Island, a region rich in wildlife, is disintegrating.

Deforestation is the leading threat to the Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica. The clouds this region is named after are beginning to dissipate as a result, which will eventually deprive this lush landscape of the moisture it needs to thrive.

Pollution and urbanization imperil Kathmandu Valley in Nepal.

The Mexican Michoacan Mountains are being defaced by illegal deforestation.

Global warming has already claimed over two-thirds of the glaciers within the pristine boundaries of Glacier National Park in Montana.

The Dead Sea in Israel is receding at an alarming rate (approximately three feet every year) because its primary water source, the Jordan River, is being sucked dry by the local populace.

Rising sea levels may spell doom for Australia’s Fraser Island.

The rainforest habitat of the island of Borneo, a territory divided between Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, is endangered by farming and logging.

Since 1978, the glaciers in Alaska’s Kenai Fjords National Park have receded about a half-mile and continue to diminish further with each passing year.

Before you book a plane ticket, keep in mind that claims of eco-tourism can be deceiving and many of these delicate settings are best left untouched. If your heart is set on visiting these spots while you still can, visit the International Ecotourism Society, Conservation International or the Nature Conservancy for tips on how you can experience these wonders without further contributing to their ruin.

Images: wikimedia, minds-eye, Eulinky, dino_olivieri, derekkeats, baxterclaus, gokarna, cmanon, Andrew Kalat, laura padgett, peterjoel1, Chi King, Alaskan Dude

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