The Yarapa River Lodge and Biodiversity Exploration:
A Unique Initiative in Peru
Dr. Charles Mango
The Amazon Yarapa River Lodge started as a dream. I believed we could create a place that allows visitors to be educated on the many facets of the Amazon rainforest, all in an enjoyable environment. Originally designed to be a facility to accommodate adventurous travelers, we felt it would also be the perfect place to do scientific field research. I just needed to contact the right person to make this all happen.

I met Eloy Rodriguez after one of his speaking engagements, and his unbridled enthusiasm spoke greatly about the possibilities of building a Cornell University field station. We met many times after and designed a laboratory, student housing, and a classroom area connected to the main lodge. The Cornell University Esbaran Amazon Field Laboratory had become a reality, and the first group of students and faculty arrived June 2001. The laboratory allows for the hands-on study of animals, plants, culture, and natural medicine practices of the Peruvian Amazon.

Our goal is to educate and advance scientific understandings of the complex ecosystem and culture known as the Amazon Rainforest. The possibilities are endless!

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