Celestine Fretas

Brazilian environmental activist leading rainforest conservation through community empowerment

Celestine Fretas (b. 1965) emerged in the 1990s as a key figure in Amazon preservation through her Rainforest Partners initiative. A member of the Munduruku indigenous group, she pioneered participatory mapping techniques that integrated ancestral knowledge with satellite data. Her 1998 report Amazon Alive halted 3 major logging concessions. She co-founded Brazilian Eco-Alliance, training 500+ local leaders in sustainable practices. Her National Geographic profile highlights her role in creating Brazil's first community-managed conservation areas. In 2000, she established the Amazon Guardian certification program now adopted by 120+ eco-tourism businesses. Her work directly influenced Brazil's 2006 Forest Code reforms. TEDx talk explains her philosophy: 'Conservation must be done with people, not to them.'