Southwestern Amazonian Moist Forests: Conservation Tips

The rain forests of the southwestern Amazon River Basin may seem worlds away, but we can all help to conserve them. Key threats to the biodiversity of this ecoregion are largely the result of consumer demand—from countries outside of the Amazon Basin—for rain forest products.

By being wiser consumers, each of us can help these forests continue humming, buzzing, and roaring with life.

• Buy sustainable products: Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo when purchasing wood and paper products—from toilet paper to flooring. This certifies that the product comes from a company that has made a commitment to managing forests in ways that help protect biodiversity and respect the rights of indigenous peoples.

• Look for rain forest products that don’t require habitat destruction: Help protect forests by buying nontimber forest products, like Brazil nuts, that don’t require the destruction of habitat.

Local people gather such natural products in ways that maintain the ecological integrity of the forests. Sales of these products can help local economies and artisans.

A few things to look for: natural rubber, guaraná-based products, and Brazil nuts from the Amazon Basin.

• Purchase the right pets: Domesticated animals usually make the best pets, but if you do buy an exotic species, like a parrot or lizard, make sure it was captive bred. Many wild animals are illegally smuggled out of Amazonia to be sold as pets in the United States and Europe, and large numbers of these animals die in the process.

It’s important to ask where exotic animals come from and to require a store to give you proof of the animal’s origin.

• Be a smart tourist: Tourism to wilderness regions like the forests of the Amazon Basin can sometimes harm the natural environment that draws visitors in the first place.

Before your next trip, do some research and support ecotourism operations that help protect biodiversity by creating incentives to protect it.

Organized tours and local facilities that are ecologically sensitive can also boost the local economy, creating demand for accommodations, food, and local guides while minimizing the impact on the local ecosystem.