Rain begins pelting down on us as the bow of the canoe comes to rest in the sand when we reach the landing point for Chispero a half-hour later. We scuttle up and around the embankment, sliding over slick fallen leaves to a narrow path that leads us under the forest canopy. Broad puddles form under our feet as we stride into the rainforest, vanishing almost immediately into the permanent dusk of titanic trees stitched half-heartedly together with vines. So they were able to get a lot more wood for almost nothing. The monopoly drives more than 70 percent of the country's plywood out of the surrounding buffer zone without much thought for the regeneration of land.
Muddy trails lead deep into Ecuador's coastal rainforest.
CARE has been working with communities along the Cayapas and Santiago Rivers to increase the value of the forest and protect it. Through an active, participatory approach, these communities have developed conservation management plans to make the most of their timber resources. In the past, when people cut trees to earn a living, they had two alternatives. But now they have another alternative, which you'll see in Chispero. Our shirts dampen with perspiration and water from the thick morning air.