César Augusto Castro

Colombian environmentalist leading Amazon rainforest conservation

César Augusto Castro (b. 1975) is a Colombian biologist and founder of the Fundación Naturaleza y Cultura, an organization protecting over 5 million hectares of Amazon rainforest since 2002. His innovative community-based conservation model has prevented deforestation in critical biodiversity zones, preserving habitats for 1,200+ endemic species.

Castro pioneered the 'Payments for Ecosystem Services' program in 2014, which compensates local communities for forest preservation. By 2019, this initiative had secured $12M in international funding and engaged 15,000+ indigenous families in sustainable practices. His work directly contributed to a 34% reduction in deforestation rates in Colombia's Amazon region between 2016-2019 according to UNGC reports.

In 2017, Castro launched the Amazonia Convida ecotourism initiative, creating alternative income sources for loggers and miners. His 2018 collaboration with NASA developed satellite monitoring systems now used across 7 South American countries. Recognized as a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2015, his strategies are now replicated in Peru and Brazil's rainforest protection programs.