Ximena Fuentes

Chilean environmentalist who pioneered South America's first national park system

Ximena Fuentes (1912-2001) was a Chilean botanist and conservationist whose work laid the foundation for modern environmental policy in South America. Her 1948 report on the destruction of Chile's native forests led to the creation of the Conguillío National Park - the first protected area in the Andes. Fuentes' 1953 study of the endangered Chilean palm (Jubaea chilensis) became a model for plant conservation strategies still used today. Explore Chile's national parks.

As director of the National Botanical Garden from 1955-1980, she established seed banks for 800 native species and trained the first generation of Chilean ecologists. Her 1967 book Flora of the Chilean Andes remains a key reference for biodiversity research. Fuentes' advocacy led to the 1970 Environmental Protection Act, which required environmental impact assessments for all major projects - a first in Latin America. Her work inspired the WWF Chile programs that now protect 20% of the country's wilderness.