This story first appeared at UCSB’s The Current .
The Amazon Basin is a spectacular and dynamic place. Its very name conjures images of verdant jungles, uncontacted tribes and natural splendor. But it also dredges up accounts of destruction, genocide and environmental calamity. Protecting the Amazon has been a priority for environmentalists throughout the world. In the wake of climate change, this issue has never been more pressing.
That said, getting a handle on the social, economic and environmental landscape of this vast area is a real challenge. “It is an enormous area — roughly the size of the continental United States. Nine countries have territory in Amazonia, along with Indigenous territories,” remarked Jeffrey Hoelle , an associate professor in UC Santa Barbara’s Department of Anthropology. “It’s one of the most biodiverse places in the world, and it’s equally culturally diverse.”
