Tropical plant

Amazon Interactive
Coffee and Conservation

Forest panorama

 You chosethe maximum income strategy:

  • 2 hectares of coffee on primary forest
  • 1 hectare of cacao on primary forest
  • 1 hectare of maize on secondary forest

Map of your 15 hectare plot of land

You earned $390! That's less than you might have earned in previous years,due to a drop in coffee prices, but it's enough for your family to liveon.

You've still got four hectares of primary forest left, but you're beginningto realize that, at this rate, you'll soon run out of it. In a few years,you'll have to plant all your crops in secondary forest--or find anotherline of work besides farming. Some people in your Quichua community aretalking about ecotourism. Instead of farming more land, the communitycan earn money by bringing in tourists and teaching them about the Quichuaway of life. Do you think the community should considerecotourism? Or would you like to start over withyour cash crops?


Back to Coffeeand Conservation
Back to Amazon Interactive Home Page
Go to Educational Web Adventures
Copyright 1996 Educational Web Adventures. All rights reserved.