This area is rich in species but is less appreciated in the temperate zone than tropical rain forests . One of the innovative concepts cited by the Inamori Foundation was Janzen's recipe for using a wild area without taming it. What he did was simply give it a presence. It isn't cultivated and doesn't produce the traditional alfalfa, cows, or rice. But it does produce products, including educational programs for students at all levels, ecotourism, pharmacological products for drug companies, and water for the entire region.
Fire suppression is a key element in the management of the area.
Janzen says that, since there are no summer thunderstorms, the forest did not evolve with fire. According to the World Resources Institute , the incidence of fire in AGC is down 90 percent, and the introduced grass, jaragua, is virtually gone from the area. Within 20 to 50 years, researchers expect the canopy to close, killing off all remaining jaragua and stopping set fires completely. The problem with big wilderness areas is that they don't seem to have an owner or presence. People come along and take what they want and do what they like.