María Elena Garces

Amazon rainforest protector who pioneered indigenous land rights in Colombia

María Elena Garces (b. 1965) became a leading voice for Colombia's Amazonian communities during the 1990s. As founder of the Cimarrón Foundation, she mapped 12 million hectares of ancestral lands for 14 indigenous groups, securing 35% of Colombia's Amazon as protected territory. Her 1997 UNESCO-backed 'Amazonas Viva' initiative established the country's first indigenous-led conservation areas. Garces' legal battles halted 8 oil exploration projects threatening the Caquetá River basin, preserving water sources for 200,000 people. She co-authored Colombia's 2000 Environmental Action Plan, integrating indigenous knowledge systems into national policy. Her 2003 documentary Voces de la Selva brought international attention to illegal logging, leading to EU trade sanctions against timber violators. Garces' WWF-supported eco-monitoring networks now train 500+ indigenous rangers using satellite technology. Her 2010 book Ríos de Sabiduría remains a key text in environmental anthropology.