Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction Part 2 I. Perceptions of the Rainforest Chapter 3 From The Naturalist on the River Amazons Chapter 4 The Rainforest is Neither Fragile Nor Stable Chapter 5 From The Vortex Chapter 6 Environmental Limitations on Culture in the Tropical Forest Chapter 7 Civilizations and its Discontents Chapter 8 From A View from the Headwaters Part 9 II. Explanations for Deforestation in Latin America Chapter 10 From The Sugarmill: The Socioeconomic Complex of Sugar in Cuba, 1760–1860 Chapter 11 The History of Ecological Marginalization in Chiapas Chapter 12 Rejecting Progress in Paradise: Huastecs, the Environment, and the Oil Industry in Veracruz, Mexico 1900–1935 Chapter 13 Revolution in the Rainforest Chapter 14 From Who Is Destroying the Amazon Rainforest? Chapter 15 Deforestation: A Brazilian Perspective Part 16 III. Why Save the Rainforest? Chapter 17 A Glimpse at Some Tropical Habitats Chapter 18 Natural-Resource Losses Reduce Costa Rican GNP Gains Chapter 19 A Cornucopia of Foods Chapter 20 An Earthly Paradise Regained Chapter 21 Mexico's Highway to Hell Part 22 IV. Prospects for Development: Alternative Futures for Latin America's Tropical Forests Chapter 23 Fight for the Forest: Building Bridges Chapter 24 Alternatives to Forest Destruction: Lessons for the Míbíngôkre Indians Chapter 25 U.S. Drug Firm Signs Up to Farm Tropical Forests Chapter 26 Indigenous Knowledge and Biodiversity Chapter 27 Alternative Rainforest Uses Chapter 28 Debt-for-Nature Swaps: Who Really Benefits? Chapter 29 Reefs, Rainforests, Caves, Ruins, and Rookeries Chapter 30 Ecotourism and the Political Ecology of "Sustainable Development" in Costa Rica Chapter 31 Petén Crafts: A Future Chapter 32 Suggested Readings Chapter 33 Suggested Films

About the Author

Susan E. Place is Associate Dean of the Graduate School at California State University, Chico.

Reviews

"A crucial reader in one of the most pressing environmental and sustainable development issues, a book that includes the work of economists, naturalists, anthropologists, geologists, and others, and presents in one volume many of the essential ideas and observations on this question." - British Bulletin of Publications on Latin America, the Caribbean, Portugal and Spain "The gradual destruction of tropical rainforests is one of the most significant events in Latin American history. Tropical Rainforests gives a concise yet nuanced introduction to a complicated issue." - H-Net Book Review