In our first week we took a 40 minute boat trip along the reservoir to a resort called Fazendinha. We stopped briefly and then embarked on a hike to a high point looking down on the water and resort. The view was spectacular to say the least but from our vantage point we looked across the expanse of the forest before us only to see burning patches, fragments of deforested areas that are now reduced to pastures for grazing and other areas for eucalyptus plantations. The beauty that took out breath away was mixed with continuous destruction of this great forest. A picture tells a thousand words and here are ten of them. Do the math.
"You are entering one of the remaining 5% of the Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlantica) fragments in this country. Please respect the flora and fauna present. Maintain silence and don't collect specimens and always conserve the trail."
At the pinnacle of it all, the view is breathtaking and the wind blew strongly to remind of the forces of nature around us.
Like a lioness in an African prairie our fearless, intelligent, cunning and beautiful TA Kaithlin takes in her surroundings as the wind speaks to her.
Our amazingly brilliant and cool instructor never misses a beat and he takes this opportunity to pick our brain on our observations and give us further insight on the knowledge we picked up on our way to the top.
Relaxing with a drink of water at the top of the trail, Tim and I catch some wind and sunshine as we soak in the sight before us.
The reservoir stretches for miles in the valley before us. With this amazing view before you it is hard to think of the destruction that was wrought when this was built. Displacement of locals who face the loss of food supply, loss of animal habitat, isolation of species...the list goes on.
A stop along the forest trail to make observations and have Tim give us more information on what we observe.
