Amazonian forests emerged as a way of maximizing biodiversity by limiting the food source of any one species (including humans) in a given area.  For example, many plant predators feed on only one species.   To limit their increase Amazonian plants do not grow in stands  but are rather surrounded by many other species whom their predators cannot eat.  Although it is not a zero sum game biodiversity acts as a limit on population increase  The green revolution of the 1960s achieved critical increases in food production to only by drastically reducing biodiversity.  Around the world traditional permaculture and gathering gave way to monocultural agribusiness.  The resulting collapse of biodiversity and increased rate of climate change was a largely hidden cost that now looms as an apparent disaster.   In part because of its isolation the Amazon lagged behind other parts of the world in this transformation.   Although it still retains much of it biodiversity rapidly rising world population is driving rapid deforestation and biodiversity loss.  Which leads us to a quandry:  Biodiverse forests can only be preserved if they are productive for significant numbers of local humans.

We intend to do this by experimenting with new technology fo growing traditional foods; and by making biodiverse forest hospitable to a service economy.