The Amazon Pre-Trip
The first video "Land of the Flooded Forest" is all about how the Amazon River has evolved into what it is today. Thousands of years ago when the Andes Mountains were created by shifting tectonic plates it changed the direction of the flow of the Amazon River. When this happened a lot of things were affected. Very much of the surrounding land became flooded until the water began to flow back the opposite way ( West to East ). Many of the animals that were transported by the river to the ocean previously became trapped. These animals had to adapt to survive in the freshwater. Some of these animal species include sting rays and dolphins. In present day the Amazon River becomes "flooded" during the rainy season each year which lasts from December to May. During this period the Rivers flooded tributaries and various waterways cover a great amount of land almost equivalent to the contiguous United States.
In the second video we see that there is a huge presence felt by illegal logging mobs in the Amazon area. These organizations have been known to kill those who speak out against them, including their own workers if they reveal any of their practices. There is one logging company near Manaus however, that Green Peace has deemed excemplary for their sustainable practices. For every tree they remove three more are planted. This as well as many more of their practices make it possible for them to log year after year without detrimental effects on the amazon. Gold mining is another huge industry that has had a terrible effect on the environment in the Amazon. While only 1% of the land in Brazil contains gold, many still seek this treasure as a way for them to escape poverty. The most dangerous aspect of gold mining is the poisonous mercury which is used in separating the gold fragments from other bits of rock that is pulled from the ground. The mercury is disposed of often directly back into the ground where it runs off and contaminates the surrounding water. From there mercury then finds its way into local fish which humans eat, unintentionally ingesting elevated levels of mercury. Mercury levels in these fish have been measured well over the legal standards.
Climate change is said to have had very negative effects on the Amazon area. As global temperatures rise, rain is more prevalent in the rain forests of the Amazon causing greater flooding. The duration of a storm system called La Nina is also said to be increasing each year as well which ultimately results in a longer rainy season. As more trees are logged each year there is less to stand in the way of the increased levels of rainfall and runoff. As a result the floods are even greater.
The Wildlife in the Amazon is greatly unique and diverse. There are still places in the Amazon which have yet to be explored, there may still be species for us to discover. Some of the wildlife species that can be found in the Amazon include the giant river otter, black caymans, brown capuchin monkeys, ocelot, jaguar, and giant armadillo to name a few. While some of these animals have faired just fine to ever changing conditions in the Amazon area, there are some which are not doing as well.
What i took away from watching these different videos is this. The Amazon is an incredibly unique, beautiful, and diverse place. There is an amazing array of plants and animal species that inhabit the region, and they have all done so with little trouble until the more recent past. Most of the issues plaguing the region today are related to human caused issues such as illegal and unsustainable logging practices, as well as gold mining. Both of which are destroying the beautiful landscape of the rain forest which has lived for thousands of years.
All of this being said this issues are not simple ones. While the problems seem obvious, and therefore easily corrected, they are backed by motivations which are not so easily corrected. Almost all of the desctruction affecting the Amazon is caused by people simply looking to make profits that they hope will elevate them out of poverty. While this is obviously understandable, it must be realized by everyone that by continuing with these damaging and unsustainable practices, in the long run no one profits, and that a better solution must be found before the damage is irreversable. We are losing many plant and animal species which can never again be replaced.
In the second video we see that there is a huge presence felt by illegal logging mobs in the Amazon area. These organizations have been known to kill those who speak out against them, including their own workers if they reveal any of their practices. There is one logging company near Manaus however, that Green Peace has deemed excemplary for their sustainable practices. For every tree they remove three more are planted. This as well as many more of their practices make it possible for them to log year after year without detrimental effects on the amazon. Gold mining is another huge industry that has had a terrible effect on the environment in the Amazon. While only 1% of the land in Brazil contains gold, many still seek this treasure as a way for them to escape poverty. The most dangerous aspect of gold mining is the poisonous mercury which is used in separating the gold fragments from other bits of rock that is pulled from the ground. The mercury is disposed of often directly back into the ground where it runs off and contaminates the surrounding water. From there mercury then finds its way into local fish which humans eat, unintentionally ingesting elevated levels of mercury. Mercury levels in these fish have been measured well over the legal standards.
Climate change is said to have had very negative effects on the Amazon area. As global temperatures rise, rain is more prevalent in the rain forests of the Amazon causing greater flooding. The duration of a storm system called La Nina is also said to be increasing each year as well which ultimately results in a longer rainy season. As more trees are logged each year there is less to stand in the way of the increased levels of rainfall and runoff. As a result the floods are even greater.
The Wildlife in the Amazon is greatly unique and diverse. There are still places in the Amazon which have yet to be explored, there may still be species for us to discover. Some of the wildlife species that can be found in the Amazon include the giant river otter, black caymans, brown capuchin monkeys, ocelot, jaguar, and giant armadillo to name a few. While some of these animals have faired just fine to ever changing conditions in the Amazon area, there are some which are not doing as well.
What i took away from watching these different videos is this. The Amazon is an incredibly unique, beautiful, and diverse place. There is an amazing array of plants and animal species that inhabit the region, and they have all done so with little trouble until the more recent past. Most of the issues plaguing the region today are related to human caused issues such as illegal and unsustainable logging practices, as well as gold mining. Both of which are destroying the beautiful landscape of the rain forest which has lived for thousands of years.
All of this being said this issues are not simple ones. While the problems seem obvious, and therefore easily corrected, they are backed by motivations which are not so easily corrected. Almost all of the desctruction affecting the Amazon is caused by people simply looking to make profits that they hope will elevate them out of poverty. While this is obviously understandable, it must be realized by everyone that by continuing with these damaging and unsustainable practices, in the long run no one profits, and that a better solution must be found before the damage is irreversable. We are losing many plant and animal species which can never again be replaced.
Day 1: Tour of Manaus
For our first day in Manaus we were shown around the city by a tour guide. We started at the center of the city where our tour guide described how that part of the city have thrived from the rubber trade coming from the Amazon rain forest. Some of the area's most wealthy people lived in that area. We were told why the sidewalks were designed the way they are. They consist of stones laid out in patterns of black and white waves intersecting each other which represents the mixing of the two rivers, The Amazon and The Rio Negra, on which so much of the area's trade is carried out.
After hearing about the history of the town center, we got a full tour of the theater there called Teatro Amazonas. We were told that the roads surrounding the theater had rubber added to them in order to muffle the ambient noise from traffic. The theater was built several stories high. It was built with materials from several countries across the world. Inside, the columns were from Europe, chairs were made from palm trees, and the wood floors were made from Amazonian lumber.
I was surprised in learning how large of an impact that trade has and still does have in this region of Brazil throughout its history. We had learned how powerful some people had been just from the wealth of the rubber trade. It was also surprising that after so much history in Manaus and so much of its development and success being attributed to trade of resources from the Amazon that much of that trade is now having such a detrimental effect on the rain forest, especially the lumber trade.
After hearing about the history of the town center, we got a full tour of the theater there called Teatro Amazonas. We were told that the roads surrounding the theater had rubber added to them in order to muffle the ambient noise from traffic. The theater was built several stories high. It was built with materials from several countries across the world. Inside, the columns were from Europe, chairs were made from palm trees, and the wood floors were made from Amazonian lumber.
I was surprised in learning how large of an impact that trade has and still does have in this region of Brazil throughout its history. We had learned how powerful some people had been just from the wealth of the rubber trade. It was also surprising that after so much history in Manaus and so much of its development and success being attributed to trade of resources from the Amazon that much of that trade is now having such a detrimental effect on the rain forest, especially the lumber trade.
Day 2: Our Day Exploring The Amazon
Our second day in Manaus was a guided boat tour of the Amazon and Rio Negra Rivers and the Amazon jungle. We followed the Rio Negra river to where it runs into the Amazon River. The Rio Negra was black and the Amazon was murky brown. Where the rivers met they collided, but did not mix and so they flowed along side each other for a while before mixing. This was due to the fact that the two rivers had such different densities. From there we followed the Amazon through some river towns. We saw houses, shops, and even schools along the river where people lived. We arrived at a point on the river where we could walk into the jungle on an elevated boarded path. We walked about a quarter mile into the treeline and saw a tree that was over a hundred years old. After this part of the tour we ate lunch along the river at a local restaurant.
Next on our tour was a stop along a floating dock in the river where people were able to swim with the pink river dolphins. And for the last part of the tour we visited a local village of indigenous Amazonians. They put on a show for us consisting of singing and dancing. They even brought people from the tour out to be a part of their dance. The group of villagers that gave the performances were a representative group from the larger group that lived farther into the Amazon jungle. They lived in the mock village so that they could demonstrate for tour groups like ours the ways in which their people live in the jungle as they have for many generations. After this the tour was concluded and we headed back to Manaus.
While the tour of the Amazon was not what we expected it was still an insightful and fun experience. We were able to see a glimpse of what life on the Amazon River is like for many of the locals. It was very exciting to be able to ride the line where the two rivers meet and don't mix. It was shocking to see the two bodies of water collide and continue to flow along side each other without mixing for so long. They remained separate, along side one another for a much longer stretch than i imagined before seeing it for myself. It was also very surprising seeing how people still lived along side the river to this day. The conditions seem so far from what many of us are used to or imagine as being suitable. Even more shocking was seeing how much damaging the seasonal flooding caused by the Amazon causes and that people still continue to live along side it. But probably the most shocking part of the day was seeing the treatment of local jungle animals by the locals. The boat of people who brought the sloth, snake, and crocodile to the tour boat first, and second the pink river dolphin that was being kept in captivity. While it felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity to take advantage of to see those animals first hand and be close enough to touch them, it felt wrong being a direct part in their exploitation. But overall the river boat tour was a very enlightening experience.
Next on our tour was a stop along a floating dock in the river where people were able to swim with the pink river dolphins. And for the last part of the tour we visited a local village of indigenous Amazonians. They put on a show for us consisting of singing and dancing. They even brought people from the tour out to be a part of their dance. The group of villagers that gave the performances were a representative group from the larger group that lived farther into the Amazon jungle. They lived in the mock village so that they could demonstrate for tour groups like ours the ways in which their people live in the jungle as they have for many generations. After this the tour was concluded and we headed back to Manaus.
While the tour of the Amazon was not what we expected it was still an insightful and fun experience. We were able to see a glimpse of what life on the Amazon River is like for many of the locals. It was very exciting to be able to ride the line where the two rivers meet and don't mix. It was shocking to see the two bodies of water collide and continue to flow along side each other without mixing for so long. They remained separate, along side one another for a much longer stretch than i imagined before seeing it for myself. It was also very surprising seeing how people still lived along side the river to this day. The conditions seem so far from what many of us are used to or imagine as being suitable. Even more shocking was seeing how much damaging the seasonal flooding caused by the Amazon causes and that people still continue to live along side it. But probably the most shocking part of the day was seeing the treatment of local jungle animals by the locals. The boat of people who brought the sloth, snake, and crocodile to the tour boat first, and second the pink river dolphin that was being kept in captivity. While it felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity to take advantage of to see those animals first hand and be close enough to touch them, it felt wrong being a direct part in their exploitation. But overall the river boat tour was a very enlightening experience.
Day 3: Ponta Negro
Today we were shown around by a Brazilian local from Rio. we visited Ponta Negro which was basically a beach with lots of vendors and places to buy food and drinks. We saw many stray dogs, and people playing soccer on the beach. There were lots of street vendors selling cheap goods such as sunglasses and hats. We got to try some local ice cream. some of the flavors were very exotic. After an hour or two the weather changed from warm and sunny to rainy. We waited out the storm in the open air theater. Afterwards we hopped on a bus to the mall where we spent the rest of the day passing time until we could check head to the airport and head to Rio de Janero.
Seeing the beach was fun. It was a nice change from the market and trade centered culture of the rest of the city. There were still lots of people selling things but it was a different environment.
Seeing the beach was fun. It was a nice change from the market and trade centered culture of the rest of the city. There were still lots of people selling things but it was a different environment.