Amidst the
gloom caused by dwindling
forests in eastern Paraguay,
occasional success stories do
emerge to cheer environmentalists. One such model
of conservation is the
Mbaracayu Nature Reserve,
a dense subtropical mix of
hardwoods, grasslands and
wetlands which houses thousands of species of plants and
animals, some extinct or
severely endangered.
Despite the fact that the
park has also been the traditional hunting ground of the
Ache Indians, Mbaracayu
remains a fantastic success
story chiefly because of the
farsighted measures adopted
by the park's officials.The
Ache Indians were primitive
hunters and gatherers whose
lives remained unchanged
till the 1970s. Thereafter,
Mbaracayu officials who are
keenly aware that radical
steps are necessary to protect
the reserve, have wisely
included the natives in their
efforts.
Among the measures
that they plan to adopt are
the expansion of the park's
borders and demonstrations
to show settlers in the area as
to how they should farm
without cutting down or
burning trees. The Ache
Indians have worked alongside the officers, who in turn
have helped them preserve
their culture against the
onslaught of modernity.
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