Dispatches
Cristalino Jungle Lodge – Brazil, Part IV: Day Three
April 10, 2009
Thursday we took a few early morning shots from atop the observation tower, and hurried off to visit the Cristalino Ecological Foundation. We got to see the children in action – the foundation works to bring children into the jungle and teach them about why their backyard is so important not just to the community but to the planet. They also work with the community, talking about why they should protect jaguars despite the loss in livestock and also facilitate solutions for what to do when farmland is not producing enough but you don’t want to just cut down more rainforest. Instead of forcing rules on them, the Foundation facilitates discussion and empowers the community to find and adopt their own solutions.
After that we said goodbye to our hosts and guides for the week. It was sad to leave the site, and even a few wild boars were sad to see us leave as they kept darting in front of the truck while we were driving away, but our time was up and we had to be moving on to our next stop in Peru. Thanks again to all of the crew and staff at Cristalino – both for their hospitality and the work they are doing. This is a model for how things should be done and their success only a testament that it is working.
