Steps to breathe life into rain forestComment on this story
A project to build a science centre with about 10km of walkways will give tourists spectacular views in the heart of the Amazon rain forest.
The £6.4m centre, to be built by a British charity, will act as a research base for scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, provide jobs for Brazilian tribes and attract eco-tourists.
The ambitious walkway will be located in Roraima, a remote province of north-eastern Brazil, and will be designed by the same architects who created the London Eye and Kew Gardens’ treetop walkway.
Researchers will use the walkway to study the rain forest canopy, while tourists will be able to enjoy stunning views from high above the jungle floor.
The project is being co-ordinated by the Amazon Charitable Trust and is expected to take two years to construct.
Robert Pasley-Tyler, a managing partner of the Amazon Charitable Trust, said of the project: “It will employ the local river tribe, giving them a way of making a living without destroying the forest, and will also boost awareness around the world.
“Visitors will also get to see the nearby pink dolphins and the giant otters before spending a relaxing day on a riverside beach.”
Roraima is the northernmost and least populated state of Brazil.
It borders Venezuela and Guyana and is renowned for its challenging hiking routes. – Daily Mail