Clearing room for a garden, Mbuti men hack through tropical hardwood. The Mbuti and Bantu have harvested wood on this small scale for centuries, but large commercial operations threaten Congo's rain forest. Logging camps—some of them illegal—eat away Mbuti territory and wildlife habitats. For now, regional conflict between local militias, rebels, government soldiers, and other factions has mostly kept large-scale harvesting companies out of the Ituri forest. But some ecologists worry that when peace arrives, more loggers, poachers, and immigrants will follow.
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark II Film Type: Digital Lens: 21mm Speed and F-Stop: 1/250 @ f/2.8
Weather Conditions: Unrecorded Time of Day: 3:55 p.m. Lighting Techniques: Natural light
