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Here we are all standing at the base of Tijuca Peak or in Portuguese Pico Da Tijuca. This is the highest peak in all of Rio. Right before our trek to the summit we paused to learn a more complete history from our guide. As a group we were familiar with some of the basics about the forest- that it had once been deforested many years ago for the sake of coffee plantations. The people of Rio came to know the importance of this coastal rainforest when they found that their water supply had been decimated as a result of the clear cutting. They experienced extreme droughts and suffered from a large lack of clean water. “Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal” ~ Edward Wilson |
Tijuca Forest National Park |