Luzia Castro

Brazilian environmentalist who pioneered rainforest conservation in the Amazon basin during the 1960s

Luzia Castro (1928–2012) was a visionary environmentalist whose work laid the foundation for modern Amazon conservation. Born in Belém, Pará, she witnessed the rapid deforestation caused by the 1960s Trans-Amazon Highway project. In 1964, she founded the Luzia Castro Institute, the first organization dedicated to protecting the Amazon's biodiversity. Her 1967 report "The Silent Forest" exposed illegal logging practices to international audiences, leading to Brazil's first environmental protection laws in 1969.

Castro's most significant achievement was the creation of the Amazon Rainforest Protection Zone in 1972, which preserved 12 million hectares of forest. Her advocacy inspired the 1988 Brazilian Constitution's environmental clauses. The Luzia Castro Amazon Museum in Belém now educates visitors about her work through interactive exhibits and a seed bank preserving over 5,000 Amazon plant species.

Her legacy is continued by the Amazon Defenders Network, which she helped establish in 1995. Modern researchers like Dr. Ana Maria Costa credit her with pioneering the concept of "ecological debt" in global climate discussions. The 2020 documentary "Luzia: Guardian of the Green Lungs" highlighted her work's relevance to today's climate crisis.