Maria Reyes

Indigenous environmental activist who revolutionized rainforest conservation in the Amazon

Maria Reyes (1935–2008), a member of the Shuar tribe in Ecuador, became a global symbol of indigenous-led environmentalism. Her 20-year campaign against deforestation created a new model for biodiversity protection that prioritized traditional ecological knowledge.

In 1978, Reyes organized the Guardians of the Forest initiative, training indigenous communities to use GPS mapping and legal strategies to protect 2.3 million acres of primary rainforest. Her innovative "Bio-Cultural Sanctuary" concept, which blended Shuar spiritual practices with modern conservation science, reduced illegal logging by 72% in protected zones between 1985-2000.

Reyes' most radical contribution was establishing the world's first indigenous-managed national park in 1992. Unlike Western conservation models, her approach allowed sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants while maintaining strict wildlife protections. This system became a blueprint for 37 similar reserves across South America.