Kimberly Dudeck

Documentary Reflection
Golden Amazon
There are many illegal activities that a handful of Brazils residents take part in, whether
by choice or out of desperation. Logging, commercial fishing, and mining for gold are only a few
of these criminal acts. Many people are forced into these activities in order to provide a steady
income to support their families, while others simply choose to work in these dangerous fields.
There are several laws put in place to try and protect against these prohibited actions, but it is
impossible for government officials to catch every person committing the crimes. Many residents
are fully aware of the illegal acts being committed in Manaus, but they and their families are
constantly threatened to keep quiet. The seriousness of these crimes does not seem to be fully
understood among the people committing them. They are unaware of how important the Amazon
is to the rest of the world.
One of the main causes for deforestation in the Amazon is due to illegal logging.
Approximately sixty-four species of trees, such as ipe, jatoba, and mahogany, are most sought
out for and are presently on the verge of extinction. According to the documentary, eighty
percent of the timber Brazil sells is cut illegally, and of that percentage, two-thirds of it is wasted
and made into sawdust. Brazil wrongly believes that its wealth in timber is a legitimate source of
income for the country.
A huge portion of environmental degradation is also caused by gold mining. The mining
industry in Brazil was a way of life up until 1995, when the Sixth Amendment recognized the
negative impacts the mining process was having on the environment. Today, filanceros, or gold

diggers, continue to illegally mine for gold and are significantly contributing to the destruction
of the environment. Approximately one hundred and fifty liters of poisonous mercury, which is
used during the processing of the gold, is dumped into the river each day. Concentrations of
mercury are now being found in the fish occupying the Amazon river, as well as the humans
consuming the infected fish. The perpetuation of these illegal activities will continue to destroy
the beauty of the Amazon until there is nothing left to show for it.
After watching this documentary I am way more aware of the daily illegal activities
going on in Brazil. Although, it is possible to interact with the environment in such a way
without having to destroy it. For example, Mill Madeireria is the only logging company in the
Amazon that follows conservationist criteria. This logging company is based on respect for the
trees, their delicate nature, and the complicated natural processes that allows them to grow. It is
the most sustainable and scientific way of doing business in the Amazon. Before any tree is cut
down, the experts study the consequences of its removal on the rest of the landscape, and for
each fell tree, three new important tree species are planted in its place. This logging industry
demonstrates how natural resources can be exploited in a proper, more intelligent manner.
It is true that the Amazons beauty is its greatest sin, and it saddens me that this
magnificent forest has to pay for it each day. Brazils law enforcement should make stricter
policies on illegal activities, as well as more intense penalties, in order to try and prevent these
devastating crimes. Not only is the forest and river being destroyed, but the lives of the
Caboclos, as well. Their main source of food and protection comes from the Amazon, and
without these resources they no longer have the means to survive. A small profit to be made by
loggers and miners just doesnt seem worth it if the consequences result in the demise of the
largest rainforest in the world. If only the people partaking in these unlawful activities

understood the importance of this ecosystem, then maybe they would have a different view of the
industry they work in.