Jose Castellon

Colombian environmentalist who pioneered rainforest conservation in the Amazon basin during the 1950s

José Castellón (1918-1978) was a visionary ecologist from Colombia who pioneered rainforest conservation in the Amazon basin. A botanist by training, he conducted groundbreaking research on the Amazon biome during the 1940s, discovering over 150 new plant species. In 1953 he founded the Amazon Conservation Society, the first organization dedicated to preserving the rainforest through scientific research and sustainable practices.

Castellón's 1960 report Amazonia: The Last Eden exposed the environmental impact of rubber tapping and logging, leading to Colombia's first environmental protection laws. He developed innovative agroforestry techniques that allowed indigenous communities to cultivate crops without deforestation. His work with the UNEP in the 1970s established the concept of 'ecological corridors' now used globally. Though largely forgotten in his lifetime, Castellón's methods inspired modern rainforest preservation efforts like the Amazon Watch organization.