Antonio Buitrago

Colombian environmentalist who pioneered community-led rainforest conservation

Conservation Pioneer

Antonio Buitrago (b.1972) founded Rainforest Guardians in 1999 to protect Colombia's Pacific rainforest through indigenous partnerships. His approach combines traditional ecological knowledge with modern technology, resulting in a 70% reduction in deforestation in project areas. The Rainforest Foundation now replicates his model in 8 countries.

Key Innovations

• Developed drone-based monitoring systems with local communities
• Established eco-tourism programs providing 800+ jobs
• Created the Agroforestry Training Academy for sustainable farming

Global Impact

Buitrago's work influenced the UN SDG 15 targets and inspired Brazil's Amazon Conservation Team. His 2021 UN speech "The Forests are Our Lungs" has been translated into 20 languages.