When I was an undergrad biology major and falling in love with ecology, the Amazon rainforest was being cut at a rate of 2400 sq miles/year. That’s close to the size of Delaware! The rate increased until 1995, then started a slow decline. In 2011, the rate was back to 2400 sq miles. Protecting the Amazon was The Cause of the 90s. Last week I got to visit the rainforest…not directly on the Amazon, but the Rio Mayo is a tributary of the great river. Being in this amazing place helped that young ecologist resurface and rekindled a passion to take care of this place. Look at how amazing this place is!

Conservation efforts look different all over the world, but one model that I see over and over combines ecotourism with sustainable use of ecosystem resources. I travelled to Tingana with two of my students.

Our guides live in the forest, farm in tree fall gaps, gather honey, and teach visitors about this spectacular place. Tito was our guide and he was amazing with his bird and monkey calls! He could tell that I was having a great time and pointed out everything – big and small!!
The squirrel monkeys were a lot of fun to watch:

The sloth (lazy bear) was hiding in plain sight:

The birds were incredible! I’ve never seen anything like these cream colored woodpeckers.

The collared trogon was beautiful, and it was extra special to see her nest!

The kingfishers and flycatchers were abundant.

The littlest creatures were the most colorful. So many treasures!!!

This is an awesome place! I hope that the new generation of ecologists can continue to encourage conservation of the rainforest…this teacher is going to do her part in encouraging her students to work towards that goal!