Feeling lucky to Live in Such an Amazing Place

Ecuador is a fascinating place to live. The diversity of the landscape is amazing. One can travel from the coast to the mountains to the jungle in a matter of hours. It's like no place I've ever seen. Additionally, Ecuador contains everything from the most modern and metropolitan cities to jungle tribes that speak their own languages and have never seen a 'gringo' or even a car. Fascinating. In fact, last weekend I a read a great book, Savages, about one of the most primitive tribes remaining in Ecuador, the Huaorani. It's crazy to realize that some of the most remote and primitive people on this planet live within a few hours of where I am right now.

I took this photo yesterday while walking Maia behind our house. A beautiful day in the Andes.

Unfortunately, Ecuador is in danger of being irreversibly changed by those more interested in stripping it of it's natural resources than preserving it as a treasure for the whole world. In an effort to curb this tragedy the president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, is attempting an innovative initiative called the Yasuni Project. The Yasuni is a small area of virgin forest that Correa is trying hard to preserve untouched for future generations.

I found this great video from National Geographic about the Yasuni area.  Please take a moment to follow this link, which I dont know how to embed in my blog.

Key Facts and Project Goals:

• Yasuni: One of the most bio-diverse spots on Earth
• One hectare in Yasuni contains more tree species than are native to the whole of North America
• Ecuador indefinitely foregoes extraction of 846 mill. barrels of oil and more than US$ 7.2 bill. in income
• Avoidance of 407 million metric tons of CO² emissions due to non-extraction and burning of oil
• Avoidance of 800 million metric tons of CO² from avoided deforestation
• 78% of Ecuadorian citizens support the Yasuni Initiative
• The Yasuni ITT Trust Fund administered by UNDP was established in August 2010

Correa has proposed to the global community that they contribute funding to Ecuador so that they may protect this land and the people who depend on it in perpetuity without having to ravage it for resources and the needed funds that come along with them. It's a tough sell and support has been slow going so far, but I have to applaud Correa for his efforts and I hope he is able to fulfill the goals of this admirable initiative. Ecuador is a treasure for the whole world, and I hope people take some time to recognize it.