Diana Sánchez

Colombian environmental activist safeguarding Amazon biodiversity

Diana Sánchez is an Indigenous leader from Colombia's Amazonas region and founder of Guardianes del Bosque, an organization protecting over 12 million hectares of Amazon rainforest. Born in 1978 among the Cubeo people, she witnessed firsthand the devastation of illegal mining and deforestation. Her innovative 'Forest Guardians' program trains Indigenous communities to use satellite technology and drones for real-time monitoring, successfully reducing illegal logging by 65% in protected areas since 2015.

She pioneered the 'Biocultural Corridors' concept, creating wildlife migration pathways while preserving ancestral lands. Her advocacy led to Colombia's 2018 environmental law recognizing Indigenous knowledge in conservation. Sánchez's work has been documented in National Geographic's Amazon Frontlines series and she received the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2020. Her memoir Roots in the Amazon details her struggles against multinational corporations and paramilitary groups seeking to exploit Amazon resources.