In September 2005, the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA) laid Peru's foundation stone for “Route to the Pacific,” an interoceanic highway, in Puerto Maldonado, Tambopata – 20 minutes from Don Ignacio's community – part of a massive plan destined to alter the face of South America. While the highway has important economic implications, indigenous leaders are concerned that deforestation and an influx of an ever increasing number of migrants will threaten the rain forest and jeopardize the future of the community and the culture itself, as evidenced by the destruction along the already completed Brazilian stretch of the highway.

Voice of the Amazonian Rain Forest offers a way to preserve the cultural legacy of the rain forest. It portrays extraordinary stories of interconnection between humans and the natural world and gives voice to this valuable and complex heritage now at risk of extinction. The cultural traditions of the Southern Tropical Andes face a crisis, yet therein lies the hope. In times of crisis, people look to the wisdom of their elders for guidance. Voice of the Amazonian Rain Forest gives us the opportunity to hear Don Ignacio Duri's stories and the wealth of profound knowledge they encode. In addition to their medicinal value, these stories have the power to inspire us to change, to make a difference and to live in harmony with nature for a sustainable future.