I was born in the Andes, in Urcos, near Cusco, a wonderful place full of nature at that time. As a child, I moved with my family to Madre de Dios, where I have now lived for more than 45 years. I love the trees, rivers, streams and waterfalls, the heat and the sounds of nature with its thousands of species of animals here. Although I have to admit that I don't like mosquitoes very much. I have worked for numerous entities in Puerto Maldonado, from tourist accommodations to government organizations to family businesses. But working with Wilderness International is the most fulfilling for me because I see us preserving the things I love so much. And most importantly, because I feel that in this way I can also raise awareness in others about how to care for, protect, and preserve our beautiful natural world.

I have been living in Peru since 1995 and carry out projects for the organization Fauna Forever to research biodiversity, protect tropical forests, provide environmental education and develop local communities. My focus is on the rainforests of the Madre de Dios region in the south-east of the country. I previously completed a PhD in Biology at the University of East Anglia, an MRes at the University of York and a BSc at the University of Edinburgh.

My joining Wilderness International was definitely a happy coincidence – in the right place at the right time, with the right people committed to preserving wild nature. A Peruvian friend introduced me to Fabian Mühlberger in 2018. Fabian and David MacDonald then accompanied me to the Peruvian Tambopata rainforest to photograph the wildlife of the Amazon and to explore the potential for conservation projects in the region. It is always fun for me to show environmentally conscious people this corner of the Amazon, because the sheer diversity of animal and plant species never ceases to take people's breath away. I was very pleased that Fabian and David were no exceptions. 

I believe in community conservation because it takes a lot of minds and skills to properly implement processes in this area. That's why we soon started talking about WI's conservation goals. It quickly became clear that WI's strategy of preserving wilderness areas with high biodiversity would fit very well into the local socio-ecological context, and soon enough, I began to actively support the WI team in establishing a permanent presence in the Peruvian Amazon. Today, I am the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WI-Peru and lead the process of evaluating and subsequently sourcing suitable land for long-term conservation measures in Peru.

I studied biology at UNSAAC in Cusco and have since worked on various projects in the Madre de Dios region, including an environmental study on the renaturation of natural areas destroyed by gold mines and tree species threatened with extinction. My studies have taught me to respect, appreciate and, above all, love nature. It has brought me here, to my beloved jungle, to do a great work. It reminds me of what the poet Rabindranath Tagore once said: "Turn a tree into firewood and it will burn for you, but it will not bear flowers or fruit for your children." Meanwhile, these are no longer just words, they are our reality. 

For me, it is indescribable to be able to study and protect what is so close to my heart. To even be able to make it my profession is one of the best gifts that life could have given me.

Having grown up in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest, I have been fascinated by nature since I was a child. That's why I did my bachelor's degree in forestry in Peru, then my master's degree in forest ecology in Germany, and am currently doing my PhD in plant ecology. The more I have learned, the more I have come to love and appreciate nature and everything that belongs to it. And I have developed a comprehensive understanding of how quickly mankind is exploiting nature. 

Rising population figures, deforestation, environmental pollution, the depletion of natural resources and all the associated consequences are problems that concern me every day. I would like to contribute to solving them. As a Peruvian, I look at these problems from a very personal perspective. As part of Wilderness International, I want to contribute to the protection and restoration of unique ecosystems around the world, starting in my own country.

I was born in Lima-Peru, but moved to Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17 years ago with my parents and brother. I am studying law at the Universidad Nacional Amazónica De Madre De Dios (UNAMAD). I love nature and always try to be outside and gain new experiences. I am very happy and satisfied to be part of Wilderness International Peru. My biggest dream is to be able to help and defend people in need.
I thank my mother, father and brother for supporting me in all my dreams.

I am originally from the highlands of Peru and am proud of my roots in Arequipa. I have known the jungle for many years. My children were born in Madre de Dios. I immediately fell in love with the jungle and carried out many important construction works for the city, for example the obelisk of Madre de Dios. I consider myself a lover of biodiversity and a connoisseur of flora and fauna since I was 20 years old. I am happy to be part of WI because I like the approach of protecting nature and preserving what little we have left of our wonderful forests.

During my last year of study, the northern Peruvian coast was devastated by Cyclone Yaku. I saw how everything was flooded, the city was destroyed and people suffered from the effects of torrential rainfall similar to the El Niño phenomenon. Both events are becoming more frequent due to climate change. It was then that I realized that my generation and all of us who live on Earth in the 21st century have a duty and responsibility to do something about global warming.

One of the biggest challenges facing humanity is to protect and stop the overexploitation of forests such as the Amazon. Through social networks, I learned that Wilderness International was committed to protecting the Amazon rainforests in Madre de Dios, and from then on I wanted to work with them.

The mission of environmental education is to restore the connection between people and nature, and I am honored to contribute to this as the coordinator of the WI Peru Environmental Education Project. I firmly believe that there is good in everyone, and the Madre de Dios community is no exception. Conservation is an arduous and complex task, and environmental education and constant interaction with people is one of the most powerful tools for success.

Animals and nature have been a part of my life since birth. I grew up in the forests of Ontario, Canada, working with birds of prey, bats and other animals as a teenager. After running a conservation NGO in Ontario for 15 years, I am now involved in tropical rainforest conservation and am currently the Senior Field Research Coordinator for Fauna Forever, where I lead vital research work in the Peruvian Amazon.

The partnership with Wilderness International has already led to the protection of thousands of hectares of rainforest, and I am delighted to now be able to work with both organizations to protect endangered habitats in Peru and around the world!