ECO-TOURISM AND APPLIED CONSERVATION

Defined as "tourism which seeks out the attractions of natural elements in an area without undue stress imposed on them", this is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy, attracting in excess of 20,000 visitors a year to the Manu Biosphere and the Bahuaja Sonene National Park and the Tambopata National Reserve. The major attraction is of course the rainforest, which is still largely pristine and home to all the major Amazonian animal groupings.

Clay-licks, or "collpas", make it particularly easy to observe bird and animal species up close and in large numbers, something that is particularly rare in the Amazon region. The nature of the forest system, with its large trees and luxuriant vegetation, as well as the shyness and mostly nocturnal habits of Amazonian animals, makes wildlife spotting difficult beyond the collpas. Many eco-tourism destinations, including the Tambopata-Libertador Lodge, offer collpa visits in their programs.

When the Tambopata Libertador Lodge became operational in 1991, the surrounding area was for the most part uninhabited virgin rainforest. Since then the colonist community of Sachavacayoc has been subdivided and the community known as Condenado has sprung up. Both communities consist of inmigrant farmers who continue to grow in number.

Since its creation in 1990, the Reserved Zone has lacked the required management structure and funding to prevent colonisation and consequently the area has seen the birth of similar communities elsewhere within its borders. This has resulted in the gradual loss of forested land along the Tambopata river bank. The community had no legal status until 1995. Today the lodge is in dialogue with the community over land-use issues which would be mutually beneficial in the future given that both eco-tourism and small scale agriculture have to share available forest resources.

The Lodge is involved in promoting ecological issues among children and adults, particularly with regard to agricultural practices, rainforest management and the role of eco-tourism and the Lodge in the area as a whole.

The community benefits economically from the fresh produce, mainly fruit, which is bought by the Lodge. The Lodge in Dec. 2003 donated a "Mercado Artesanal" to the four communities in our area with the hope that this market would provide them with a base to sell their agricultural products from, purchase their basic supplies at, and hopefully motivate the production and sale of craft items in the area. It is open to everyone, visitors and locals alike.

The hiring of temporary labour and the employment of more Lodge staff members from within the community also benefit our neighbours. The Lodge also offers radio communication and transportation in case of emergency.

The Libertador-Tambopata Lodge is also one of the few establishments in the area to have obtained legal title to its land, which currently totals almost 2,500 acres, with a further 75 bequeathed from the community. This land is now legally secure from destructive practices such as "slash & burn" agriculture, hunting and wood extraction.

Conservation and the needs of local people cannot be mutually exclusive. The beneficial consequences of the Lodge's operations and the cooperation between the lodge and the community will in the end help secure the future of this area of rainforest and its representative flora and fauna.

IF THERE WERE NO LIBERTADOR-TAMBOPATA LODGE THE SURROUNDING FORESTS WOULD NOT EXIST!