Jose Carlos Maldonado

A Peruvian environmentalist who established the first Amazon rainforest conservation zones in the 1950s.

José Carlos Maldonado (1925–1979) was an Amazonian conservation pioneer whose work laid the foundation for modern rainforest preservation. Growing up in Iquitos, he witnessed rampant deforestation for rubber plantations. In 1953, he co-founded the Amazon Guardians Initiative, persuading the Peruvian government to establish the first protected area in the region. His 1958 report 'The Amazon's Future' highlighted biodiversity loss, leading to the creation of the Allpahuayo-Mishana Reserve in 1965. Maldonado trained indigenous communities in sustainable agriculture, developing the Forest Farming Method still used today. His 1972 book Guardians of the Jungle became a key text in environmental studies. Despite death threats from logging companies, he expanded protections to Bolivia and Brazil by 1975. The Maldonado Amazon Research Center now monitors 12 million acres. His legacy includes the Amazon Conservation Day, celebrated annually across South America. Maldonado's vision of 'living with the forest' influenced global environmental policies, earning him the Earth Honor Award posthumously in 1982.