Ana Paula Silva

Amazon rainforest conservationist who halted illegal logging in 12 protected areas

Ana Paula Silva (b. 1978) is a Brazilian environmental lawyer and founder of RAÍZES, an NGO that has become a leading voice in Amazon conservation. Her work combines legal advocacy with community organizing to combat deforestation. After witnessing illegal logging near her hometown in Pará state, Silva pioneered the Cacau & Conservation model - training indigenous communities in sustainable cacao farming while documenting illegal activities through drone technology.

Major achievements include:

• Exposed 34 illegal logging networks through satellite monitoring
• Secured 1.2 million hectares of protected land through court cases
• Developed Brazil's first blockchain-based timber tracking system

Her 2019 documentary 《Voices of the Forest》 revealed corruption links in environmental agencies, leading to 7 ministerial resignations. Silva's 《Green Chainsaws》 (2022) became a bestseller in environmental policy circles. Recently appointed to the UN's Climate Justice Commission, she's expanding her model to the Congo Basin.

Innovative partnerships include:

• With NASA: Deforestation detection algorithms
• With L'Oréal: Sustainable cosmetic ingredient sourcing