The Maya tropical forest : people, parks, & ancient cities / James D. Nations.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nations, James D.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mayas--Ethnobotany.

Mayas.

Mayas--Ethnozoology.

Rain forest ecology--Yucatan Peninsula.

Rain forest ecology.

Human ecology--Yucatan Peninsula.

Human ecology.

Yucatán Peninsula--Environmental aspects.

Yucatán Peninsula.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (362 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 2006.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The Maya Tropical Forest, which occupies the lowlands of southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, is the closest rainforest to the United States and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Western Hemisphere. It has been home to the Maya peoples for nearly four millennia, starting around 1800 BC. Ancient cities in the rainforest such as Palenque, Yaxchilan, Tikal, and Caracol draw thousands of tourists and scholars seeking to learn more about the prehistoric Maya. Their contemporary descendants, the modern Maya, utilize the forest's natural resources in village life and international trade, while striving to protect their homeland from deforestation and environmental degradation. Writing for both visitors and conservationists, James Nations tells the fascinating story of how ancient and modern Maya peoples have used and guarded the rich natural resources of the Maya Tropical Forest. He opens with a natural history that profiles the forest's significant animals and plants. Nations then describes the Maya peoples, biological preserves, and major archaeological sites in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Drawing on more than twenty-five years of conservation work in the Maya Tropical Forest, Nations tells first-hand stories of the creation of national parks and other protected areas to safeguard the region's natural resources and archaeological heritage. He concludes with an expert assessment of the forest's future in which he calls for expanded archaeological tourism to create an ecologically sustainable economic base for the region.

Contents:

Introduction to the Maya tropical forest

History of the Maya tropical forest

Natural history of the Maya tropical forest

Mexico

Guatemala

Belize

The future of the Selva Maya.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. [289]-311) and index.

ISBN:

0-292-79615-3

OCLC:

320324670