Last night I attended an inspiring benefit for The Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) organized by Be Stirred, and while the party was way up in the Hills of Beverly, ACT president Dr. Mark Plotkin, illustrated how closely tied we all are to the Amazon.   ACT partners with indigenous tribes to preserve the biodiversity, health and culture in tropical America, which not only protects the forest and it’s inhabitants, but empowers them as well.  We had the unique opportunity to meet a shaman from a tribe in Suriname who has worked closely with Dr. Plotkin, and shared with us his appreciation for the program.  Using Google Earth, the organization has trained tribes to map their land, protecting large territories from encroaching nefarious activities, such as deforestation, mining and drug trafficking.  Other programs help to document cultural and medicinal traditions to ensure the information is passed on to future generations.

Click on the image below to learn more from ACT’s video overview and takepart by supporting The Amazon Conservation Team.

Last week, we told you that photographs were taken of a tribe of reclusive people native to the Peruvian/Brazilian forests.   On the heels of that, the Peruvian government has announced it will take action to protect the tribes and stop loggers from encroaching on the land the tribes inhabit.   From the BBC:

Authorities in Peru’s Amazon state of Madre de Dios now say they will stop illegal loggers who travel deep into the forest in search of tropical hardwoods.

They are often the first people to encounter the tribes.

Aside from destroying the tribes’ homes, the loggers also can bring diseases fatal to the tribespeople - even something as simple as the common cold can kill.

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