This story is just another example of why we cannot expect to reforest and conserve our rainforests and other natural resources without tying an self-sustaining economic generator into our projects… conservation means nothing to someone who does not have any food on their table and can’t afford to educate their children! – Jeremy

 

Can Sustainability Grow in a Deforested Rainforest?

By: Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Posted on Treehugger.org

Thousands of years ago, a tribe of indians settled near modern day Santarem, nestled on the banks of where the Tapajós River joins Amazon in the state Pará, Brazil, living harmoniously in the region’s lush rainforest. Time, however, have not been kind to this corner of the world as its landscape has been transformed by cattle ranches, plantations, and roads which cut into the forest like scars, making it one of the most deforested places in the Amazon. On a recent trip to Santarem, I had a chance to see the region’s deforestation firsthand and to discover what it means to live sustainably in the world’s largest rainforest.

Read more at Treehugger.org

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