"When construction of the Transamazon Highway was proposed in 1970, the Brazilian media depicted a road stretching out through a flat expanse of mature forests, its surface paved with glittering stones and precious metals - purported riches of the Amazon yet to be discovered." But, as Douglas Stewart found while traveling the highway in 1989, "the forest deceives." The 1,000-kilometer trip from Belem to Altamira took "three days, six buses, three boats, and a ten-hour hitch with a truck driver named Eduardo." This lively, readable study explores why colonzation of the Amazon fell, short of the planners' vision. Delving into issues of land distribution, soil ecology, and the colonists' adaptation to local ecosystems, Stewart uncovers the forces that drive deforestation. In particular, he shows how soil quality and the concentration of land among large landholders have shaped the entire landscape of colonized Amazonia, encouraging the spread of cattle ranching into the many infertile areas and causing destruction of the forest's rich diversity of plant and animal species. Recounting fascinating stories of the colonists he encountered in his travels, Stewart also shows how small farmers have banded together during the past decade to overcome the challenges of the frontier, from poor roads to low prices for agricultural goods. Their collective action, he asserts, if backed by government policy, could lead to progressive land redistribution and wiser use. This broad-ranging look at why deforestation has occurred in the Amazon, what its consequences are, and what can be done to halt and remedy the process should be read by everyone concerned with preserving the Latin American environment. AsDouglas Stewart concludes, "if I'm lucky, mine may become one of those little books that makes good because it takes a simple idea and puts it into practice."

Review

This book should be read by all interested in Amazonian biology and people. It contains many lessons for those who propose to 'develop' Amazonia for sustainable economic gain.

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