Amazon Interactive
Coffee and Conservation

You chose to maintain your current crops 2 hectares of coffee on secondary forest 1 hectare of cacao on secondary forest 1 hectare of maize on secondary forest

Map of your 15 hectare plot of land

You earned $320. That's less than last year, since crops don't produce as well after the first year. And it's barely enough to support your family.

And you've only got four hectares of primary forest left. You need to make more money next year, but expand your crops would leave you with only a hectare or two of primary forest. Your neighbor Agustín suggests an alternative--ecotourism. Instead of farming more land, the community can earn money by bringing in tourists and teaching them about the Quichua way of life. Do you think the community should consider ecotourism? Or would you like to start over with your cash crops?