A sprawling Ecuadorian forest reserve in the Choco Andino Biosphere Reserve, home to some 600 species of birds and 270 species of mammals, is at the center of a tug-of-war between environmentalists and miners who see it as a way out of poverty. A year ago, residents and environmentalists won a hard-fought victory in a referendum that banned all metal mining in the forest. "These extractive activities, such as mining, threaten these ecosystems and the integrity of these fragile ecosystems," says biologist Inty Arcos. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES