Irma Dorothy Stang

Environmental activist who fought for Amazon rainforest preservation and land rights in Brazil

Sister Dorothy Stang (1931-2005), an American-born Brazilian nun, dedicated her life to environmental justice in the Amazon region. Arriving in Brazil in 1966, she pioneered agroforestry projects that taught sustainable farming methods to rural communities. Her work is documented in the official memorial site, showing how she helped establish 30+ cooperatives promoting ecological agriculture.

Stang's advocacy for land rights led to repeated death threats from logging interests. Her 2005 assassination by hired gunmen became an international scandal, prompting Brazil's first environmental protection task force. The documentary 《The Death of Sister Dorothy》 (2008) explores her legacy. Her manuals remain essential texts for sustainable development practitioners.