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From Away.com
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Amazonia - A Green Travel Introduction (cont.)

Actually, the term Amazonia refers to a vast basin of forests and wetlands occupying about half of the South American continent (75 percent in Brazil as well as parts of Ecuador, Peru, Suriname, Guyanas, and Colombia). While Brazil's forest is more accessible in terms of tourist structures, Peru's is distinguished by the quality and quantity of its federally preserved bio-sphere parks, the most outstanding being the Parque Nacional Manu, which boasts one of the world's most important concentrations of wildlife: giant otters, fingernail-sized tree frogs, ancient black caimans, red howler monkeys, even brighter scarlet macaws. On the other hand, Brazil offers up Manaus, simply one of the greatest port cities in the world teeming with the sounds, sights, and flavors of provincial territory on the edge of civilization. Both are places you shouldn't miss.

The Impact of Ecotourism
With all the doomsday publicity about the demise of the rainforest, you might be wondering, is ecotourism really kosher? A lot has been written about the adverse impact of tourism on both the environment and local communities. But many national parks like Manu are actually supported by fees obtained from visitors, and local tour operators often fund their own conservation projects in the areas they use. Though minimally enforced, public laws against the trade of protected species have been enacted by several countries. Still, because of tourism, you have to travel a substantial radius from any city or community, and sometimes even a jungle lodge, to catch sight of animals, such as monkeys, caiman, peccaries, and birds, that all tend to flee at the sound of motors and human scents. These days, there simply are not enough feds to police this green monster of a region. As a traveler, you yourself have to take up the responsibility to enfuse your contact with both the physical and cultural environments of the rainforest with the greatest respect and care. That means you should leave the jungle pristine; forgo macho-like activities like dynamite fishing, and stand up against violations when you see others committing them. That way you and your fellow travelers will have an Amazon to return to—with your grandchildren.

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 •  The Mysteries of Machu Picchu
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