But it also is one of the most endangered. All around Maquipucuna, timber cutting, agriculture, cattle grazing and charcoal production are causing the tropical forest to disappear. In the race to halt the destruction, Rome, who has a master's degree in plant ecology, says it is imperative that she and others learn as much as possible about these precious resources. "There is little known of the natural history and ecology of these areas," Rome said. "In order to manage them well, we must know more." Rome is currently coordinating a soil ecology research project in which scientists from the University of Georgia and the University of Chicago are participating.		One particularly impressive aspect of the reserve is that it employs local people. Rome says involving local people in the success of the reserve has been critical. Traditionally, residents of villages surrounding Maquipucuna have worked as farmers, woodcutters and miners, all occupations that contribute to deforestation. Now, a good number of those people earn generous salaries working as nature guides, cooks, research assistants and maintenance people at the reserve. All employees receive special training in environmental education (something done only very recently in many other areas) and, Rome points out, often share their knowledge with family and others in the community.
	She and her staff are frequent hosts to scientists from throughout the world and want to encourage even more to come and use their first-class research station and laboratory. But scientists aren't the only ones to visit the reserve. Last year Maquipucuna opened to ecotourists, and since then Rome says there has been a steady stream of students, conservationists and other vacationers. Not only does ecotourism generate much-needed income for the reserve, it also presents an opportunity to teach others about tropical forest conservation. And in a country where tourism has long been a leading--yet not always nature-friendly--industry, Rome has helped make Maquipucuna a model of what ecotourism is meant to be--responsible travel that helps sustain local economies as well as natural areas.		Because of their involvement, many of these people are beginning to see the forest as an area worth protecting. Particularly among her staff, Rome says, she sees "amazing enthusiasm to conserve natural resources." She tells of Carlos, once one of the best hunters in the area, who now works for the reserve as a nature guide, using his excellent skills to track animals and teach tourists about the animals' habitats. Surrounding communities benefit from the reserve as well. Rome and her staff regularly visit schools to teach about the forest, run workshops for adults on the basic methods of organic agriculture and work with people to make things such as baskets and hats using local or recycled natural materials that they can then sell to reserve visitors. Though Rome's main
	Henry Tepper, director of the New Hampshire Office of The Nature Conservancy, visited Maquipucuna for the first time in the spring of 1995. At that time, he says, it was a new and "tentative" operation, a place he would "not have recommended to the average tourist." One year later he returned, this time leading a group of 25 ecotourists, and says he was amazed at what he saw. From self-guided nature trails to delicious Ecuadorian cuisine and the beautiful ecolodge, built of all-natural materials, Tepper says the operation had improved immensely. "The combination of Abi and her colleagues running the ecotourism side of the reserve is working extremely well," Tepper said. "They have come a long way in a very short time." In fact, he was so impressed that he has since mounted a modest fund-raising campaign to support the reserve.[NEXT COLUMN]		office is in Quito, where she has access to phone, fax, computer and other forms of modern technology, she spends as much time as possible with people at the reserve and in local communities. But Rome and her staff do not reach everyone. "As an American, it is more difficult to convince Ecuadorians of the need to conserve their natural resources," she said. "There can be the common retort that the rich northern countries are impeding development in the tropics by calling for forest conservation because we up north have already destroyed all of our own natural resources." In some cases, she adds, it seems that the Ecuadorians "feel conservation is a luxury for the richer countries of the world but is not relevant for their struggling economy." [NEXT PAGE]