Adriana Garcia

Peruvian biologist leading Amazon rainforest conservation through indigenous partnerships

Adriana Garcia is a Peruvian conservation biologist whose work has redefined rainforest preservation through community collaboration. Establishing the Amazon Guardians Network in 2020, she pioneered a model where indigenous communities receive 70% of conservation funding. Her Biocultural Corridors initiative (2022) connects 12 indigenous territories across 3 countries, protecting 1.2 million hectares. Adriana's research with Wildlife Conservation Society identified 23 new plant species with medicinal properties. Her TED Talk "Forest Guardians: Indigenous Knowledge in Conservation" has 2.3 million views. In 2024, she launched the Rainforest Voices podcast amplifying indigenous leaders' stories. Her work inspired the Peruvian government's 2025 policy allocating 15% of conservation budgets to local communities. Adriana's 2023 documentary 《Guardians of the Canopy》 won Best Environmental Film at the Rio de Janeiro EcoFilm Festival.