[Paddlewise] Wooden kayaks

Posted by Mike:

> The deforestation of large parts of the Amazon basic are
not due to
> logging, but to other practices, most notably a sort of
slash-and-burn
> ranching that was encouraged for many years in many South
American
> countries. Tree that we would consider very valuable were
simply burned
> to produce temporary grazing ground.

This is 'true' about the ranching and the 'slash and burn'
agriculture
practices in the Amazon .... but 'wasteful logging' does
play a big part,
or has over the past years.  When I first was assigned as
part of a UN
team to the Amazon region, we made some inspection trips and
we referred
to it as the 'Good ol' boys from Georgia syndrome' because
of the logging
by the American giants that controlled the logging at that
time.  Scouts
would spot a particular tree they were interested in ...
mark it ... and
then come in with their bulldozers and clear out everything
in their way
to get at that tree.

Brazil in recent years has become much more ecologically
conscious of this.

Brunzeel has a production operation in the Amazon.

But the 'slash and burn' practices still continue despite
efforts of the
environmental groups.

SEA KAYAKING BRAZIL
(http://www.andetur.com/Brazil/Projects/sea_kayak.htm)
- Andetur Brazilian Travel Club

 Capt. Donald R. Reid



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