our reporter tanya blut traveled to the region and found that logging has increased there over the pastecade. but that may be changing now. reporter: the jungle around iquitos is home to more species than almost anywhere else on earth. it is a kind of paradise, but it is under threat. just 15 years ago, giant trees grew near the city. now they are floated down the river from further away, because there are none left here. deforestation is on the rise. logging yields valuable timber, in which there is a large illegal trade. and forests are being cleared for large plantations. but smallholder farmers also cut down trees, as they have done for centuries. like here in tres unidos, not far from iquitos. the farmers clear the land by hand, tree by tree. then they burn them. it's a common practice throughout the region. alan: it's bad for the environment. it releases large amounts of greenhouse gases. deforestation in the amazon region is continuing, as is soil erosion. burning timber shortens the nutrient cycle. it kills the macro and the micro fauna. the erosion means the rain washes away mo