2010.07.14: July 14, 2010: Obituary for Peru RPCV Peter Stonewall Jenson

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Obituary for Peru RPCV Peter Stonewall Jenson

Obituary for Peru RPCV Peter Stonewall Jenson

In 1963 Peter volunteered for the Peace Corps and was especially interested in working in Peru. After his two-year service in the mountains of Peru he went to Iquitos on the Amazon for a "short" vacation to see the river that had fascinated him as a child. In Iquitos he renewed his great interest in the river and the people who lived near it. He became convinced that it must be economically feasible for the area to be preserved. He also believed in the importance of educating people throughout the world concerning the importance of the biodiversity of the Amazon River Basin. He started by becoming friends with the Yagua Indians and renting a boat to take tourists to visit their villages. This small start expanded to now encompass five separate lodges throughout the rain forest. Under the auspices of "Conapac" foundation, Explorama has purchased over 10,000 acres of the rain forest that cannot be logged, hunted or burned. "Conapac" supports a number of Explorama-sponsored services, including Dr. Linnea Smith's Yanamono hospital, the Amazon River Library, training of teachers in the adopt-a-school program which reaches over 4,500 students a year, the water purification project in jungle villages, and the maintenance of the Canopy Walkway. Explorama has over 150 employees, many of whom are local Yagua Indians. They are all highly educated in the importance of the Amazon wildlife and vegetation. In August of 2008 the Peruvian Ministry of the Environment recognized Peter's work and the President of Peru, Alan Garcia, personally presented Peter with an award for his contribution for the Preservation of the Environment. In 2009 Explorama was winner of Educational Travel Conference "Responsible Tourism Award," and in 2010 the Iquitos Board of Education recognized Peter with the "Amazon Educator" award for his great effort in Environmental Education, both for local children, adults and visitors to the rainforest.

Obituary for Peru RPCV Peter Stonewall Jenson

Peter Stonewall Jenson

- Iquitos, Peru

7/14/2010 12:00:07 PM

LEWISTON - Peter Stonewall Jenson, 73, died June 20, 2010, at his home at Ceiba Tops, near Iquitos, Peru, after a valiant nine-month battle with esophageal cancer. He was surrounded by his Explorama friends.

Peter was born September 25, 1936, in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, to LeRoy (Stoney) Jenson and E. Berniece Jenson. The family lived in Bruce, Wisconsin, at the time but moved frequently. Peter went to school in Galesville (1-4th grades), Milwaukee's Tippecanoe (5-6th grades), Waupaca (7-8th grades), and Elmwood (9-12th grades). He then attended Hamline University in St. Paul and earned his Bachelor of Science degree (geology and archeology) in 1957. During high school and college he was a guide in Crystal Cave, Spring Valley, Wis. He then earned his Master's degree from the University of Minnesota, where he also did his Ph.D. studies.

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He was employed at the St. Paul Science Museum as curator of geology and archeology. In 1963 Peter volunteered for the Peace Corps and was especially interested in working in Peru. After his two-year service in the mountains of Peru he went to Iquitos on the Amazon for a "short" vacation to see the river that had fascinated him as a child.

In Iquitos he renewed his great interest in the river and the people who lived near it. He became convinced that it must be economically feasible for the area to be preserved. He also believed in the importance of educating people throughout the world concerning the importance of the biodiversity of the Amazon River Basin. He started by becoming friends with the Yagua Indians and renting a boat to take tourists to visit their villages. This small start expanded to now encompass five separate lodges throughout the rain forest.

Under the auspices of "Conapac" foundation, Explorama has purchased over 10,000 acres of the rain forest that cannot be logged, hunted or burned. "Conapac" supports a number of Explorama-sponsored services, including Dr. Linnea Smith's Yanamono hospital, the Amazon River Library, training of teachers in the adopt-a-school program which reaches over 4,500 students a year, the water purification project in jungle villages, and the maintenance of the Canopy Walkway. Explorama has over 150 employees, many of whom are local Yagua Indians. They are all highly educated in the importance of the Amazon wildlife and vegetation.

In August of 2008 the Peruvian Ministry of the Environment recognized Peter's work and the President of Peru, Alan Garcia, personally presented Peter with an award for his contribution for the Preservation of the Environment. In 2009 Explorama was winner of Educational Travel Conference "Responsible Tourism Award," and in 2010 the Iquitos Board of Education recognized Peter with the "Amazon Educator" award for his great effort in Environmental Education, both for local children, adults and visitors to the rainforest.

Peter's battle with cancer brought him to his sister, Pat Luehmann's, home in Lewiston. He spent seven months there, and at Mayo Clinic and its facilities, in 2009 and 2010. When the cancer spread, he was ready to go home.

His "velorio" (wake or visitation) was held on his large ship at his various lodges, and the funeral was held in Iquitos. His ashes were spread from the Canopy Walkway into the jungle on July 4, 2010.

Peter would be pleased if you would take a virtual tour of his beloved home at www.explorama.com.




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: July, 2010; Peace Corps Peru; Directory of Peru RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Peru RPCVs; Obituaries; Environment; Awards





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