Antonia Villalba

Colombian environmental leader who pioneered community-based conservation in the Amazon rainforest

Antonia Villalba (b. 1972) is a Colombian biologist and environmental leader known for her work with the Amazon Conservation Team. She developed the 'biocultural' approach to rainforest preservation, integrating indigenous knowledge with scientific methods. Her 2003 project established the first community-managed protected area in the Colombian Amazon, now covering 1.2 million hectares. Villalba's methodology has been replicated in Peru and Brazil, creating a network of 34 indigenous conservation territories. She co-authored the Biocultural Conservation Framework, which emphasizes cultural preservation as integral to ecological health. Her work with the Yagua people led to the creation of the first indigenous-led carbon credit program, generating $2.5 million in community revenue. Villalba's TED Talk "The Amazon's Secret Weapon: Indigenous Knowledge" has over 1.5 million views. She was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2008, the first Colombian woman to receive this honor.