Large areas of rainforest are cut down and burned to make way for what our guide calls 'monofarms' (farms that grow a single-crop), and for cattle grazing lands. With little other industry here, the locals and natives do this as their only option to feed their families. But once this unique environment is gone (along with the animals that live here) -- there's no way to ever recreate it.

Part of the mission of the Inkaterra Association (that runs our lodge) is to find ways to preserve the natural landscape and provide sustainable living options for the locals. The model farm we're visiting uses 'polyfarming' -- keeping the environment more similar to the jungle with a wide variety of fruit and nut trees growing together; allowing year-round harvesting of different crops for the locals (and export), while retaining a livable environment for native animals.

Our guides here (as elsewhere on this trip) are local and highly educated -- so they know the area well; describing and detailing the variety of plants and animals we pass during our trek -- like this strangler fig taking over another tree. Fire ants (and a variety of other types) patrol the tree trunks, and our guide warns us to carefully step over the moving lines on the forest floor (you don't want to step on an ant here -- they will defend themselves). High above us in the treetops, fast moving troops of small monkeys scamper past. Dates, figs and other fruits hang from many of the trees (including some I don't exactly recognize; see inset).