Reading the Resources: An ecological anthropologist looks at the influences of culture on the natural environment
The rainforest that lines the Amazon River in southeast Peru is a tangle of lush green foliage, and to those who are unfamiliar with the region, it appears pristine. But the indigenous people who call this region home have left their mark on the landscape through agriculture, religious rites, hunting and gathering.
Anthropologist Constanza Ocampo-Raeder has traveled to the Peruvian Amazon since 1996 and spent two years living among the Ese eja people. Her research sheds light on the way cultural traditions influence the management of natural resources.