Alejandra Mendoza

Colombian environmental activist leading Amazon rainforest conservation

Alejandra Mendoza (b. 1990) is a Colombian biologist and founder of Guardianes del Amazonas, an organization that has protected over 5 million hectares of rainforest through community-led conservation since 2020. Her innovative approach combines indigenous knowledge with satellite monitoring to combat illegal logging and mining. In 2023, her work was recognized with the Goldman Environmental Prize, making her the first Colombian woman to receive this honor in two decades.

Mendoza pioneered the 'Forest Guardians' program training local communities to use drones and AI-powered apps for real-time environmental monitoring. This initiative has reduced deforestation rates by 40% in participating regions. Her 2024 partnership with NASA's Earth Science Division expanded data collection capabilities using space-based technology. She also co-authored the 2023 study in Science of the Total Environment detailing successful community-driven conservation models.