We all agree that nature reserves with minimal human influence are an important component of any conservation strategy in any country. Rather, the point of controversy is how best to achieve a much broader, more comprehensive conservation of nature in a region such as Amazonia. In this setting, it is counterproductive to insist that the only nature worth preserving is pristine, with no human influence.
Amazonia at the millennium
Much of what we thought was true about Amazon rainforests has turned out to be not quite so. As perceptions sharpen, the value of the Amazon ecosystem is becoming more fully appreciated, as are the consequences of converting this forest to other uses. Even though...