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Message: <blockquote data-quote="citrinella" data-source="post: 1644155" data-attributes="member: 15241">We mustn't be too simplistic about this. While organized crime plays a major part in this and creams the profits, like drug farming, this may be the major or only cash generating activity available to very poor local people. Until we provide a better alternative for those local people, they will support the illegal activities. Stamping the trade out is also going to drive many of those local people into destitution. Easy to advocate in ignorance from a distance, but what would you do in their shoes ?So, we want to stamp it out and improve conservation ? Perhaps we need to put a decent amount of money into supporting local people to do conservation work. This has worked with "eco"-tourism in many areas, using tourist spending to provide the cash. Can we spread "eco"-tourism beyond the big 5 - and without destroying the whole planet ? Or is there some other route we can take ?Mike.</blockquote>