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Yarn
Paintings: Huichol Indian Myths and Stories - Charmayne McGee
An encounter with a Huichol Indian leads the author to an eight-year
investigation into this group's culture and beliefs, resulting
finally in the novel, "So Sings the Blue Deer." In this article,
Charmayne looks at how these Indians paint... with yarn.
View
from the Top: Costa Rica's Chirripo National Park - Greg Green
Located in the mountains south of San Jose, not far from the
Panamanian border, Chirripo National Park is Costa Rica's largest,
and contains the country's highest peak. The author, a frequent
contributor to Planeta, writes: "For me, tales of Costa Rica
will always begin in this park."
In
the shadow of Peru's Machu Picchu - Megan Epler Wood
When I arrived at Machu Picchu, my heart was still in the rain
forest. The eye of the black caiman crocodile was still floating
within feet of my tiny canoe and flocks of noisy green and red
macaws were soaring overhead. I could taste fermented yucca
brew and feel the chill of early morning fog lifting from the
rivers.
Returning
to the Pantanal - Vania da Silva Nunes
After living in the northern hemisphere for a couple of years,
I returned to my native country, Eco
Travels in Brazil. My desire to visit tropical nature sites
was on top of my priorities. To start, since I was living in
the industrial Sao Paulo City, I made short visits to the Atlantic
rainforest, the ecosystem which inspired me to become a biologist.
Trail
Building in Selempim, Guatemala - Andrew Fleckner
The author, a Peace Corps Volunteer, works with a Guatemalan
NGO, Defensores de la Naturaleza, on an ecotourism project nearthe
Mayan village of Selempim whose 20 families live adjacent to
a newly created wildlife refuge Bocas del Polochic, in the department
of Izabal.
Nicaraguan
Ecotourism - Tom Fletcher
Nicaragua's habitats range from savanna-like plains to dry tropical
forest, submontane tropical forest, rain forest, cloud forest,
a variety of aquatic habitats on both Caribbean and Pacific
Coasts, volcanic crater lakes, and the largest bodies of fresh
water in Latin America. The combination makes the country a
diverse and fascinating destination for nature lovers and professional
biologists alike.
Colors
of Chichicastenango - Dominic Hamilton
Colours run amok in the market. Impossible combinations of scarlets
and vermilions, pinks and purples, blues and rainbow hues storm
the senses.
Belize
Leads the Way - Dominic Hamilton
Belize's youthful population and the proactive green ethos which
drives the country combine to imbue a sense of optimism that
its natural wonders will be enjoyed by future generations.
Marketing
Ecotourism on the Internet - Ron Mader
Presentation delivered at the 8th Annual World Congress for
Adventure Travel and Ecotourism, held in Quito, Ecuador
in October 1998, including a discussion of internet strategies
for travel companies and environmental groups.
Environmental Features
Tourism
and the Future of the Maya Biosphere Reserve: Strategies for Success
- Sharon Flynn and Juan Carlos Bonilla
The authors outline some of the challenges facing healthy tourism
growth in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Peten, Guatemala and possible
solutions. Two case studies are presented from the fieldwork of
Conservation International's ProPeten project.
The
Emberas: Colombia's Tenacious Indians Under Siege - Robert Mykle
While many native South American tribes have been decimated
or out right exterminated through contact with Europeans, the
tenacious Emberas have survived with much of their culture intact.
Unfortunately, the Emberas are now engaged in a violent struggle
that could see their tribe annihilated.
Conservation
in Costa Rica - Les Beletsky
Costa Rica holds a truly unique position among the world's tropical
nations with regard to conservation. The author describes some
of the major threats to Costa Rica's ecosystems, as well as
the country's conservation programs and initiatives.
The
El Pilar Archaeological Reserve for Maya Flora and Fauna: A
New Friendship Park for Belize and Guatemala - Anabel Ford
The El Pilar Program has attracted an international, multidisciplinary
team with the momentum to evolve a unique plan. This plan incorporates
local community understanding, a government conservation and
development agenda, and international environmental concerns
through an integrated research program that informs a model
development plan centered around the ancient Maya center of
El Pilar.
Tropical
Tanagers - Les Beletsky
Tanagers comprise a large New World group of beautifully colored,
small passerine birds, most of which are limited to tropical
areas. They are among the tropics' most common and visible birds,
and they are a treat to watch.
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