Peter Stonewall Jenson
1936 - 2010
Peter S. Jenson, founder, President of the Board of Directors and General Manager of Explorama Lodges and friend to countless guests throughout the world, died peacefully at his home at Ceiba Tops, June 20, 2010 of esophageal cancer. Peter was 73.
A strapping mid-Westerner, with a booming baritone voice, Peter was an intellectual visionary who saw the opportunity to explore and record the extraordinary biodiversity of the Amazon rain forest and pass that knowledge along to scientists, students, environmentalists and inquisitive travelers.
The roots of Explorama Lodges were planted in the mid-60's after Peter completed his Peace Corps assignment of teaching Peruvian archaeologists how to scientifically excavate sites. Traveling to Iquitos, the headwaters of the Peruvian Amazon River, Peter immersed himself in the culture of the river people and using his oratory skills, his many academic accomplishments and his commanding instructional personality, started Explorama Lodges that is now nearing a half century of operation.
Under Peter's watchful eyes, lodges were built to accommodate guests. Boats were purchased to
move people from Iquitos to as far away as the Napo Lodge, 100 miles down river. Employees were
hired and indigenous guides were trained to combine their natural abilities with the science
of the rain forest and today Explorama Lodges has no equal.
In August of 2008 the Peruvian Ministry of the Environment recognized Peter's work and the President of Peru, Mr. Alan Garcia, personally presented Peter with an award for his Contribution for the Preservation of the Environment. In 2010, the Iquitos Board of Education recognized Peter with the highly distinguished "Amazon Educator" award for "his great effort in the Environmental Education both for local children, adults and visitors to the rainforest." (Click here for pictures and more information on that ceremony)
Peter's highly competent staff, under the leadership of Pam Bucur,, General Manager, will carry on in his footsteps always aware that Peter opened the door to educating thousands of visitors on the biodiversity of the rain forest and their legacy will be measured by the incredible high standards set by Peter.
