Julio Castillo

A Peruvian environmentalist who pioneered rainforest conservation efforts in the Amazon basin during the 1960s

Julio Castillo (1928-2010) was a visionary conservationist from Peru whose work laid the groundwork for modern Amazonian environmental protection. Born in the Ucayali region, he witnessed the rapid deforestation caused by rubber extraction and agricultural expansion. In 1964, he founded the Amazonia Preservation Society, the first organization dedicated to protecting the Peruvian Amazon. His groundbreaking 1968 report "The Vanishing Forest" brought international attention to the region's ecological crisis. Castillo's innovative community-based conservation model involved indigenous groups in preservation efforts, a strategy later adopted globally. He established the first protected areas in the Tambopata region and helped create Peru's first environmental education curriculum. His advocacy influenced the 1971 creation of Manú National Park. Castillo's legacy is honored through the Castillo Conservation Institute, which continues his work. Learn more at Peruvian Environmental History Archive.