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Saving What Remains
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Tropical forests have been inhabited by humans for tens of thousands of years, and human activities on a traditional
scale may actually help promote forest diversity. Indigenous peoples rarely over-exploit the resource that provides
them with their livelihood and carefully practice rotational farming, and sustainably harvest forest products and
game. Yet these indigenous peoples often take the brunt of the blame for the destruction of the rainforests. Creating
reserves has sometimes evicted these traditional peoples from their lands and in some places, national park rangers
unfairly restrict their activities. Less so today, but frequently in the past, tribal peoples were usually disregarded
when national government granted concessions to foreign oil, mining, and logging firms on their traditional lands.
Indigenous people have missed out on most of the benefits garnered by forest developers.
Indigenous people have intimate knowledge of the forest ecosystem around them. Instead of looking as them with
condescension, scientists and agronomists must come to view indigenous people as an asset to forest use and conservation.
Indigenous Viewpoints
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