Why does this forest look like a fingerprint?

Summary

The video script details an investigative journey into the unusual 'fingerprint' forest in Uruguay, discovered through a Google Earth screenshot. The exploration reveals that these forests are part of a vast network of tree plantations, primarily pine and eucalyptus, cultivated for the production of wood pulp used in paper products. The Uruguayan government's support for the forestry industry has led to an expansion of forest cover and an economic boom, with wood pulp becoming the country's second-largest export. However, the script also uncovers the environmental and social costs of this 'miracle,' including the transformation of natural grasslands into monoculture tree farms, reduced biodiversity, and the impact on local communities due to infrastructure development. The narrative follows the process from tree planting to pulp production and the subsequent export, raising questions about the sustainability and ethical implications of this global industry.

Takeaways

• 🌲 A unique forest shaped like a fingerprint in Uruguay caught the attention of a Reddit user, sparking an investigation into the country's forests.
• 📍 The unusual forest patterns were discovered through a Google Earth screenshot posted by a user named tarek619, revealing forests with DNA-like designs.
• 🏭 Uruguay's forests are predominantly man-made, with pine and eucalyptus plantations covering about 1 million hectares, primarily for wood pulp production.
• 📈 The country has experienced a 'forestry miracle', with forest cover expanding despite deforestation on the continent, largely due to afforestation efforts.
• 💼 The Uruguayan government passed a law in 1987 to protect native forests and promote the development of forestry resources, industries, and economy.
• 🚛 Wood pulp has become Uruguay's second-largest export, with the industry employing thousands and contributing over $2 billion to the economy in 2023.
• 📊 The plantation forests in Uruguay are designed to follow the topography of the land, creating the mesmerizing patterns seen from above due to contour lines.
• 🌎 The rapid growth of non-native eucalyptus trees, which can be harvested in about ten years, supports the high demand for wood pulp globally.
• 😔 Monoculture tree farms have led to a loss of biodiversity, with fewer species observed in plantation areas compared to natural grasslands.
• 🏗️ Infrastructure projects, such as a new billion-dollar central railway and port terminal, have been built to facilitate the transport and export of wood pulp, causing disruptions and local discontent.
• ♻️ While the trees absorb carbon dioxide, the production and eventual disposal of paper products can result in carbon re-release, raising questions about the sustainability of the industry.

Q & A

What initially caught the attention of the Reddit user tarek619 about the forests in Uruguay?

Tarek619 found strange DNA-like forests spanning some 30 kilometers in Uruguay, which were unusual and caught his attention.

What was discovered upon further examination of the forest that looked like a fingerprint?

Upon zooming out, it was discovered that the fingerprint-like forest was part of an array of forests, all in mesmerizing designs covering the entire country.

Why are the forests in Uruguay planted in rows of identical trees?

The forests are plantations of pine and eucalyptus, which are grown for the production of wood pulp, a key ingredient in making paper products.

What is the significance of the Uruguayan government report regarding the forests?

The report revealed that about 1 million hectares of Uruguay's land are covered with these plantations, which are artificial forests contributing to the country's economy.

What is the primary use of the wood pulp produced from the Uruguayan forests?

The wood pulp is primarily used in the production of various paper products such as printing paper, paper towels, toilet paper, and napkins.

How has the forestry industry reshaped Uruguay's landscape and economy?

The forestry industry has led to an increase in plantation forest cover, making it larger than the native forest cover. It has also become a significant employer and the wood pulp industry is Uruguay's second-biggest export.

What is the term used to describe the planting of trees in areas where no trees existed before?

The term is 'afforestation,' which differs from reforestation where trees are restored to a depleted forest.

Why were the forests in Uruguay arranged in the shapes that they are?

The forests were arranged following the topography of the soil, creating patterns that sometimes resulted in curious shapes like curves, spirals, or concentric lines resembling a fingerprint.

What are the environmental concerns associated with the afforestation and monoculture tree farms in Uruguay?

Environmental concerns include reduced biodiversity, fewer animal species, reduced annual water yield, less fertile and more acidic soil, and the eventual re-release of carbon into the atmosphere when paper products decompose or are burned.

How has the construction of the wood pulp mills and related infrastructure impacted local communities in Uruguay?

The construction has caused disruptions and resentment among local residents due to property expropriations and the impact on neighborhoods. Some areas have seen protests and graffiti messages against the company UPM.

What is the global context of the Uruguayan forestry industry?

The Uruguayan forestry industry is part of a global trend where transnational wood pulp corporations plant eucalyptus in countries with fertile land, cheap production, and low wages, such as Indonesia, Mozambique, and Brazil.

What was the final realization about the Uruguayan forests and their connection to the global economy?

The forests exist due to the demands of the global economy for paper, cardboard, and tissue products. They are part of a larger system that reshapes landscapes and lives to meet everyday global interactions.

Outlines

00:00

🌳 The Mystery of the Fingerprint Forest

The video begins with the narrator in Uruguay, intrigued by a Google Earth image of a forest shaped like a fingerprint. This curiosity was sparked by a post on Reddit by user tarek619, who discovered peculiar DNA-like forests. The narrator investigates and learns that these forests are artificial, planted with pine and eucalyptus for the paper industry. Despite being hailed as a miracle for increasing Uruguay's forest cover, the narrator decides to visit and understand the complexity behind these forests. Upon arrival in Montevideo, the narrator meets with local journalist Faustina Bartaburu to seek expert insights into the forestry industry, which has been booming since a 1987 law aimed at developing forestry resources as a matter of national interest.

05:05

🚛 The Reality of the Plantations

The journey to find the fingerprint forest leads the team north of Montevideo, where they witness the vast expanses of plantations. Upon reaching their destination, they are awestruck by the perfect fingerprint shape formed by thousands of trees, a sight replicated across numerous other forests. However, they face challenges in accessing the forests due to fences and a reluctance to trespass. Eventually, with the help of the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INIA), they gain access to a similar plantation. Along the way, they observe numerous wood trucks, following them to Paso de los Toros, home to one of the world's largest wood pulp mills owned by Finnish company UPM. The mill's construction represents a significant investment for both UPM and Uruguay, and its operation has a profound impact on the local economy and community.

10:07

🏡 The Finnish Connection and Plantation Shapes

The narrator explores the connection between Uruguay and Finland, noting that UPM, a Finnish company, is a major landowner in Uruguay with nearly 30% of the country's forest plantations. The construction of the pulp mill in Paso de los Toros is a massive operation, and the area has a unique neighborhood called Little Helsinki, where high-level UPM employees reside. The narrator and team gain access to a research plantation with INIA's guide, Federico, and learn that the eucalyptus trees, native to Australia, grow rapidly, allowing for a quick turnaround for harvesting. The shapes of the plantations are determined by the topography, with the lines of trees following the contour lines of the land, creating the curious patterns seen from above.

15:07

🌍 The Impact of Afforestation

Despite the visual appeal of the forests, the narrator reflects on the ecological impact of turning natural grasslands into monoculture tree farms. These plantations support fewer species and create a stark contrast to the biodiversity of the original ecosystems. Afforestation, while increasing tree cover, can have negative consequences such as reduced water yield, decreased soil fertility, and increased soil acidity. The carbon sequestration benefits of the trees are also offset by the release of carbon when the paper products are eventually discarded and decompose. The narrator consults with biologist Alexandra Cravino, who uses camera traps to study the effects of afforestation on wildlife populations, finding fewer species in plantation areas compared to natural grasslands.

20:09

🛤️ The Infrastructure and Social Costs

The video concludes with the narrator examining the infrastructure built to support the pulp industry, including a new central railway and port terminal. The construction has caused disruptions and resentment among local residents, as evidenced by graffiti and the story of a family whose home was expropriated for the railway with unresolved compensation. The narrator reflects on the global impact of the pulp industry, noting similar plantations in other countries and the broader ecological and social implications. As the narrator leaves Uruguay, the journey has led from a simple curiosity about a unique forest shape to an understanding of the complex industry that has transformed the country's landscape and economy to meet global paper product demands.

Keywords

💡Afforestation

Afforestation refers to the process of creating new forests in areas where there were no forests before. In the video, Uruguay's government promoted afforestation as a national interest, leading to the creation of pine and eucalyptus plantations. This process is central to the video's theme as it reshaped the country's landscape and economy, but also raised questions about its environmental impact.

💡Monoculture Tree Farms

Monoculture tree farms are large-scale agricultural operations where only one type of tree is grown. In the context of the video, Uruguay's tree farms are monocultures, primarily consisting of eucalyptus and pine trees. These farms are significant as they are part of the forestry industry that has become a major export for Uruguay, but they also represent a departure from diverse natural ecosystems.

💡Wood Pulp

Wood pulp is a soft, wet, and chemically-separated cellulose derived from trees, which is the primary ingredient in making various paper products. The video discusses how the majority of trees in Uruguay's plantations are turned into wood pulp, which has become the country's second-biggest export. This keyword is essential as it ties the forestry industry to the global demand for paper products.

💡Topographic Maps

Topographic maps are graphical representations of the Earth's surface, showing the elevations and depressions of the terrain. The video reveals that the unique shapes of Uruguay's forests, such as the 'fingerprint' pattern, are actually contour lines that follow the natural curvature of the ground. This discovery adds depth to the understanding of how the forests' design is influenced by the topography.

💡Eucalyptus Plantations

Eucalyptus plantations are large areas where the non-native Eucalyptus trees are grown, primarily for their wood. The video script mentions that these trees, originating from Australia, are grown in Uruguay due to their rapid growth, which allows for quick harvesting cycles. They are a key component of the forestry industry and are central to the video's exploration of the environmental and economic implications of afforestation.

💡Carbon Sequestration

Carbon sequestration is the process by which carbon dioxide is captured from the atmosphere and stored in trees and other plants. While the video does not explicitly mention this term, it touches on the concept when discussing the trees' ability to absorb carbon. However, it also raises concerns about the re-release of carbon when the paper products made from the trees are decomposed or burned.

💡Deforestation

Deforestation is the large-scale removal of trees from an area, often resulting in habitat destruction and ecological imbalance. The video contrasts deforestation with afforestation, leading to a discussion about the environmental costs and benefits of each. Deforestation is typically viewed negatively, but the video suggests that afforestation, while seemingly positive, also has its complexities and downsides.

💡Transnational Corporations

Transnational corporations are businesses that operate in multiple countries, often having a significant impact on the economies and environments of those nations. The video highlights UPM, a Finnish company, as a major player in Uruguay's forestry industry, owning a large portion of the country's forest plantations. The presence and actions of such corporations are central to the video's narrative about the global economy's influence on local landscapes.

💡Infrastructure Development

Infrastructure development involves the construction of basic physical and organizational structures needed for a society to function, such as transportation and communication systems. The video describes the construction of a new railway and port terminal in Uruguay, which are part of the infrastructure built to support the export of wood pulp. This development is portrayed as both a symbol of economic progress and a source of social and environmental disruption.

💡Land Expropriation

Land expropriation is the process by which private property is taken by a government, usually for public use or for the greater good, with or without the owner's consent. In the video, the construction of the new railway leads to the expropriation of homes in neighborhoods like Capurro. The issue of land expropriation is a significant theme in the video as it raises questions about the costs and benefits of development projects.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability refers to the ability of a system or a community to maintain its health and viability without depleting its resources or causing negative impacts on the environment. The video implicitly discusses the concept of sustainability, particularly in the context of the forestry industry's impact on Uruguay's natural landscapes and the global demand for paper products. The question of whether afforestation and the resulting industries are sustainable forms a key part of the video's exploration.

Highlights

Discovery of a unique forest in Uruguay shaped like a fingerprint, initially found through a Google Earth screenshot posted on Reddit.

The forest's 'DNA-like' appearance is due to long rows of identical trees, which are part of a larger array of forests in mesmerizing designs.

Uruguay's forests, primarily pine and eucalyptus plantations, cover about 1 million hectares and are used for wood pulp production.

The Uruguayan government passed a law in 1987 to protect native forests and promote the development of the forestry industry.

Uruguay's wood pulp industry is a major employer and its second-biggest export, nearing the status of the biggest export.

The country's landscape and economy have been radically reshaped by the creation of an industry based on afforestation.

The 'fingerprint' forest and others like it are part of a nationwide project that has expanded forest cover in Uruguay.

The journey to document the forests involved collaboration with local experts, including a journalist and a forestry industry representative.

The forests' unique shapes are a result of following the topography, with each line representing a contour line on the ground.

Eucalyptus trees, not native to Uruguay, are used in these plantations due to their rapid growth, allowing for a ten-year harvest cycle.

The monoculture nature of the tree farms results in a lack of biodiversity, with only eucalyptus and minimal other life on the forest floor.

Afforestation has led to reduced water yield, less fertile soil, and potential re-release of carbon into the atmosphere through paper product decomposition.

The construction of a massive wood pulp mill by Finnish company UPM represents the largest foreign investment in Uruguay's history.

The expansion of the forestry industry has caused social and environmental concerns, including the disruption of local communities and ecosystems.

The global demand for paper products drives the existence of these forests, which are not needed by Uruguay itself but serve the worldwide market.

The journey concludes with a reflection on the interconnectedness of global economies and the impact of industrial forestry on local environments and communities.

Transcripts

I'm in the middle of the countryside in Uruguay

trying to find this.

A forest shaped like a fingerprint.

We're here because of a screenshot of Google Earth

that somebody posted to Reddit.

In 2022, a Reddit user named tarek619

found “strange DNA-like forests spanning some 30 kilometers in Uruguay.”

I looked at the forest.

I wasn't totally sure what was “DNA-like” about it, but it was strange.

And then I zoomed out.

And saw that it was just part of a whole array of forests,

all in mesmerizing designs.

Then I zoomed out more.

Forests like this covered the entire country.

But I couldn't stop looking at this one.

It looked like a fingerprint.

From Street View, I could just barely make out what it was:

Long rows of identical trees.

If I wanted to see inside one of these forests,

I would have to go see it for myself.

So I went.

And discovered something much more complex than I expected.

But it all started with one question:

Why did this forest look like a fingerprint?

Before I left, I started with some highly advanced research methods.

And I started reading.

According to a Uruguayan government report,

about 1 million of Uruguay's 17 million hectares of land

are covered with pine and eucalyptus plantations.

Tree farms.

Artificial forests.

That's why they were planted in these rows of identical trees.

Reading more, I learned that the majority of those trees are turned into pulp.

Not pulp like orange juice, pulp like wood pulp:

Soft, wet, chemically-separated cellulose

that becomes the main ingredient in making paper products:

Printing paper, paper towels, toilet paper,

napkins, anything.

And according to the very first result on Google search,

these forests were a “miracle.”

On a continent devastated by deforestation,

Uruguay was one of the few countries

where forest cover had actually expanded.

It sounded like a massive accomplishment.

These strikingly arranged forests

appeared to be part of some nationwide project.

If it really was a miracle,

I had to see it.

After three flights, to Miami and then to Lima,

I have finally made it to Montevideo.

I am sitting in traffic right now, waiting to pick up Faustina Bartaburu.

Hey, how's it going?

She's a journalist based here in Montevideo.

I'll be there in like 5 minutes.

Between finding the forests on Google Earth and coming here,

I'd connected with her to help us find experts in Uruguay.

Experts who could help us learn more about the forests.

Starting with a representative from the forestry industry.

That's “afforestation.”

Not reforestation, where trees are restored to a depleted forest,

but where trees are planted in a place where no trees existed before.

Just 40 years ago, these forests weren't here at all.

In 1987, the Uruguayan government passed a law

that protected the country's native forests,

but also declared a “national interest” in developing new “forestry resources,”

“forestry industries,” and a “forestry economy.”

The law set the stage for a boom for the forestry industry.

All over the country, the transformation was dramatic.

Today, Uruguay has more plantation forest cover than native forest cover,

and the country's wood pulp industry employs thousands of people.

Wood pulp has become Uruguay's second-biggest export,

totaling over $2 billion in 2023,

and it's on the verge of becoming the biggest.

Uruguay created an industry

that has radically reshaped the country's landscape,

but also its economy.

We had a basic understanding of why the forests were there.

So we met up with a videographer and drone operator who would help us document the journey,

and we set off to find the fingerprint.

We're just about an hour north of Montevideo right now,

and you can already start to see all of these plantations dotting the horizon.

We are on our way to try to find that fingerprint.

Yeah, I mean, at this point, we don't know

what it's going to look like,

if it's going to look anything like the satellite image.

I mean, these trees could have been cut.

They could have grown in a way

that the pattern is kind of hard to recognize now...

Anything could have changed.

I really want to see the shapes from above.

Yeah.

I've never been this excited to see some trees in my life.

We must be getting close, right?

Yeah.

We are here.

Cool.

We made it.

I mean, I know it's not natural,

but it seems somehow natural.

It's great. You want to see it?

I do. I do.

Wow.

Crazy.

It's like the perfect match.

There it was.

A perfect fingerprint shape,

exactly like we'd seen on the Internet.

Made up of thousands of trees.

And surrounded by forest after forest

in the same kind of design.

But there was a problem.

We wanted to go inside.

And every forest we’d passed was completely inaccessible.

There's a lot of fences, so think it'll be hard to get inside.

It was frustrating.

We didn't want to trespass.

And after traveling all this way, it wasn't clear

if we'd be able to see much more than this.

But then down the road,

we saw a sign on one of those fences.

INIA.

The country's National Institute for Agricultural Research.

We sent them an email asking if they could get us inside.

But as we drove around the area, something else caught our eye.

Wood trucks.

They were everywhere.

There's another one.

There's another one.

There's another one.

Hundreds of trucks full of logs going one direction,

empty trucks going the other direction.

As the sun set,

we decided to follow them.

We're going to try to follow the trucks that are full of trees

to see where they're going.

After driving in the dark for an hour and a half,

we saw where they were going.

We’d arrived in Paso de los Toros.

It's the home of one of the biggest wood pulp mills in the world,

owned by a company called UPM.

They had written that first article I saw about Uruguay's “forestry miracle.”

The construction of this mill was major national news.

UPM’s facility here is massive.

Its size rivals that of the city of Paso de los Toros itself,

a small town of 13,000 people.

Fernando also told us about a really specific change

that had occurred in the town.

Little Helsinki.

It's a neighborhood in Paso de los Toros

where high-level UPM employees live.

We drove over to see it.

Just a few blocks from a town that mostly looked like this,

were these long rows of identical homes,

straight out of an architectural design magazine.

It's physical evidence of the ties

this community has to somewhere else,

somewhere very far away.

Because UPM isn't from Uruguay, or from South America,

but from Finland.

UPM, a Finnish company, is one of the largest landowners in Uruguay,

owning almost 30% of Uruguay's 1.1 million hectares of forest plantations.

The construction of this pulp mill

was the single largest investment in the history of UPM,

and the single largest foreign investment in the history of Uruguay:

Over $3 billion.

Standing outside the mill,

we could see full trucks driving in, empty trucks driving out.

But we later learned that that's not all that's happening here.

Because these trucks are driving out of land subject to Uruguay's normal tax laws,

and into a “tax-free zone” that the Uruguayan government

set up just for this pulp mill.

It's not just company property, it's an economic space

the government created to stimulate forestry production.

UPM is just one of several companies

involved in forestry production here,

but it runs two of the country's three mills

for processing eucalyptus into pulp.

Together, these mills turn 17 million tons of wood

into 4.8 million tons of pulp every year,

each within their own “free trade zone.”

We reached out to UPM,

hoping to talk to someone from the company while we were in Paso de los Toros.

But after a short back and forth, they stopped responding to our emails.

Then, INIA got back to us.

They were able to get us inside a forest.

Not the fingerprint forest, but a similar plantation they use for research purposes.

We hoped the visit could help us learn more about why they look that way.

We met the guide from INIA, Federico,

and suited up: vests for visibility,

shin guards to protect against snakes,

and helmets in case of falling debris.

I have a really big head, so this might be hard.

Then we headed inside.

It's colder here.

Yeah.

You definitely notice the temperature change.

Finally, we were inside one of these forests.

We'd seen them from above, and now we were seeing one up close.

Seeing, touching,

smelling the habitat we’d traveled all this way to experience.

These eucalyptus trees are not native to Uruguay.

They're from Australia.

But they grow really, really, really fast,

which means that they can be planted

and harvested all within about ten years.

Which, you know, sounds like a long time, but for a tree

that's fast.

I just realized,

there has to be so much planted,

because if trees grow in ten years,

and we see all those trucks full of trees,

there has to be so much.

But being there still didn't explain the shapes of these forests.

So we sat down with Gonzalo Martinez Crosa,

from INIA's forestry program, and asked him.

I'm curious if you can kind of describe

why plantations look the way they do,

why they are arranged in the shapes that they are,

and the thinking that goes into it.

So when you plant big plants like trees,

you need to take into consideration the topography of the soil.

So, usually these lines overall follow the topography.

So that's why sometimes they come up with these curious patterns

of growing in curves, or spirals, or things like that.

Contour lines.

These forests followed the curvature of the ground beneath them.

Each concentric line in the fingerprint traced

a slightly higher and higher level of elevation,

until the incline came to a peak, right here.

These forests were topographic maps, drawn with trees.

And sometimes, yeah, the patterns that you get

are very, very curious and very interesting to see from above.

So that was it.

Contour lines.

Mystery solved.

Our job here was done.

But I couldn't get this one thing out of my head.

Something our guide had said.

Nothing else grows here.

You could tell.

One of the first things I noticed is just how dead the ground is.

Like it's all eucalyptus.

All the dead leaves and branches.

There was nothing on the forest floor but dead leaves and fungi.

No sounds except for machinery in the distance.

These are monoculture tree farms,

like those grown for palm oil or rubber.

Not natural ecosystems.

If vast areas of natural grasslands

had been turned into tree farms where nothing else could grow,

this “forestry miracle” seemed more complicated than I'd expected.

I think we've all heard of deforestation.

We know what that looks like.

We know why it's bad.

But the opposite of that,

afforestation, planting a whole bunch of trees all at once.

That sounds like a good thing.

If deforestation is a bad thing, afforestation sounds like a good thing.

I want to figure out if that's the right assumption about this.

I found Alexandra Cravino,

a biologist who uses camera traps to study

how afforestation changes animal populations.

Compared to grasslands, her camera traps observed fewer kinds of species in firebreaks

(those are the preserved areas of grassland in between the new forests)

and even fewer in the eucalyptus plantations themselves.

Companies like UPM say that they keep large portions of their land uncultivated,

reserved for the natural ecosystems that were there before.

And UPM says it's had a system for detecting and protecting

local species on its land since the early 1990s.

But more and more, we were seeing that there was another side to this whole thing.

Afforestation turned real grasslands into artificial forests

and that had consequences.

Studies have found that afforested plantations reduce annual water yield,

and can make soil less fertile and more acidic.

And while these trees absorb a lot of carbon while they're alive,

because they're converted into single-use paper products,

much of that carbon is eventually re-released into the atmosphere

when the paper eventually decomposes or is burned.

It made us wonder what harvesting looked like.

So we followed an empty truck to see where it led.

It was shocking.

Hectares of bare land, stacks of logs awaiting transportation.

It was a part of the process we hadn't seen yet:

where, after a decade of growth,

the trees are cut down, taken by truck to a mill, like UPM’s,

and turned into pulp.

And now we were curious what happened next.

All of that pulp has to go somewhere.

And Uruguay, working with outside investors,

built a huge amount of infrastructure to transport

and export pulp from the new UPM plant.

Starting with a new billion-dollar “central railway,” from the mill to the port,

that was right about to be completed.

We started to follow it south.

We're driving right behind a truck

full of wood pulp, which is all the stuff that,

once this railroad right here alongside us is complete,

will be transported in trains instead of in trucks.

The railroad led us all the way back through Montevideo,

past a new $130 million viaduct for improved access to the sea,

and to a $280 million port terminal

just for loading truckloads of wood pulp onto ships,

most of which goes to Europe and China.

Construction work for this infrastructure was everywhere,

a lot of it covered in graffiti

with messages like “UPM get out.”

Because on its way to the port facility,

the railroad cuts through neighborhoods,

causing disruptions that have angered nearby residents.

We're on our way right now to the neighborhood of Capurro,

which is one of the places that this new train

is going to go directly through.

We were able to talk to one of those families

whose home was destroyed to make way for the train.

In August 2018,

Nancy and Rodolfo received this letter

from Uruguay's Ministry of Transport,

saying that it was necessary to expropriate their property.

But according to Nancy and Rodolfo,

they're still waiting for financial compensation.

This family's story isn't unique in Montevideo.

And Uruguay’s story isn't unique in the world.

Other transnational wood pulp corporations

have planted eucalyptus all over the world:

in Indonesia, Mozambique, Brazil...

These forests look similar, but exist in ecosystems

whose only trait in common is that they're in countries

where land is fertile, production is cheap,

and wages are low compared to the Global North.

After a week in Uruguay, it was time for me to go.

And going through customs at the Montevideo airport,

I had to scan my fingerprint.

And as we took off,

I could see out of the plane window these forests I was leaving behind.

This journey had taken us down a rabbit hole:

from trying to understand one strange-looking forest,

to trying to understand an industry that had reshaped an entire country.

These forests only exist because of the demands of the global economy.

Uruguay doesn't need all of these forests,

but the world, for every kind of paper, cardboard,

and tissue product, does.

While we were up north filming lumber trucks,

I stopped on the side of the road to watch some leafcutter ants.

They were all going one way empty-handed,

and the other way carrying leaves.

They take the leaf cuttings back to their nest, built around a fungus.

The ants feed the fungus leaves, and the fungus

in return provides food for the ant larvae.

These trees,

and trucks,

and mills,

and trains,

they're all feeding... something.

Something that reshapes landscapes,

and lives,

on its way to becoming something that we interact with,

every day.