After a year of holding the Carlos Ponce del Prado Award ceremony virtually, conservationists and allies reunited in person this year to celebrate the 13th edition of this award, which recognizes environmental leaders and park rangers actively working to protect Peru's biodiversity. This year, 94 nominations were received, making this award the most prestigious in Peru's environmental sector in terms of career achievement and standing.
Inspired by the legacy of engineer Carlos Ponce del Prado and his dedication to the conservation of natural areas and their biodiversity, the 2021 award recognized six individuals in five categories. This year's winners were Manuel Plenge in the Environmental Personality category, Tatiana Espinosa Quiñones as Conservation Champion, Favio Chávez Villafuerte as Distinguished Park Ranger, Melissa Rivera Cornejo as Outstanding Park Ranger, and Adriana González Pestana and Luis Castillo Roque as Outstanding Young Conservationists.
As in previous years, this year the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA) awarded four scholarships to Jasmin Scholl, Carlos Soncco, and Susana Cárdenas, and one to Henry Villegas through Conservamos por Naturaleza. The first three scholarships aim to promote research on the interaction and management of fishing activities in Marine Protected Natural Areas, while the last one seeks to promote and support voluntary conservation initiatives throughout Peru. Additionally, the Peruvian Association for Nature Conservation (APECO) awarded two scholarships to Robin Fernández and Sandra Márquez for research on a prioritized Peruvian flora or fauna species.
Photo: Sernanp
Photo: Sernanp
Our heirs of nature this year are
Environmental Personality
Manuel Plenge Espinosa is the leading national authority on Peruvian ornithology and the foremost scientific authority on the presence or absence of bird species in the country. From a young age, he had a deep fondness and passion for Peruvian birds, which led him to systematize the existing literature on birds and to compile and maintain the list of Peruvian bird species and subspecies. Among his most valuable works are the Bibliography of the Birds of Peru, a testament to his diligence, perseverance, and dedication; and the List of Birds of Peru, the latest version of which was published in 2012 and which Manuel diligently keeps updated.
Architect of Conservation
Tatiana Espinosa Quiñones is a biologist and leader of the organization ARBIO, through which she carries out conservation efforts in a 916-hectare forest concession in Madre de Dios. Since 2010, she has managed and protected this area, in addition to conducting research on fauna and large Amazonian trees. She created an innovative online system for managing hectares of forest conservation to microfinance her project, which began in 2011. Through ARBIO, Tatiana collaborates with ecosystem restoration networks such as the IAFN and is a member of the Madre de Dios Concessionaires Association, the Amazonia que Late network, the Peruvian Park Rangers Association, and the International Ranger Federation.
Photo: Sernanp
Distinguished Park Ranger
Favio Chávez Villafuerte, a native of Cusco, has worked for the well-being of his region for over three decades. Committed to the conservation of natural and cultural resources, he began his career monitoring and conserving biodiversity and ecosystems in Manu National Park. He then joined the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, where he actively participates in training new park rangers and mitigating and preventing threats and impacts such as forest fires. Favio is a natural leader and a teacher by vocation, always sharing his knowledge and promoting the importance of conservation.
Photo: Sernanp
Outstanding Park Ranger
Melissa Rivera Cornejo has been an official park ranger at the Purús Communal Reserve since 2010. This protected natural area is jointly managed by the Peruvian government and an Indigenous administrator representing 26 native communities from eight Indigenous groups. During her ten-plus years as a park ranger, Melissa has demonstrated great empathy and an ability to build trust with the Indigenous communities of Purús. Her efforts have been rewarded with the involvement of nine Indigenous women in the monitoring committees, who, along with the other volunteer community rangers, have been recognized by the Purús Communal Reserve's management.
Photo: Sernanp
Outstanding Young Professional
Adriana González Pestana She is a marine biologist and a leading figure in the study of sharks and rays in Peru. Her research has been groundbreaking in identifying individual conservation challenges for sharks. Furthermore, Adriana has contributed to recognizing the crucial role sharks play in Peru's marine ecosystem and the significant gaps in their sustainable management. In 2017, Adriana founded the first and only group of volunteer researchers dedicated to gathering and sharing information about rays in Peru: the Misión Raya research group. She is also passionate about teaching and deeply committed to the education of children in Peru.
Photo: Sernanp
Luis Castillo Roque He is a biologist and a co-founding member and current general coordinator of the NGO GRUPO RANA, where he develops assessments and leads occasional meetings for its members, allied youth organizations, volunteers, and the general public, based on lessons learned from the organization's operations and projects. Luis's leadership has enabled him to disseminate GRUPO RANA's experiences, research, and plans not only nationally but also internationally, reaching the United Kingdom, the United States, Ecuador, Argentina, Mexico, and Chile. He has also participated in international virtual events, allowing GRUPO RANA and its youth biodiversity conservation leaders to share their vision with diverse audiences.
Photo: Sernanp
About Carlos Ponce
Carlos Federico Ponce del Prado was one of the best-known and most beloved figures in the recent history of nature conservation. Throughout his life, Ponce was a member of countless institutions, to which he always contributed his words of encouragement and support, as well as his knowledge and great diplomatic skills. In 1983, he founded the Peruvian Foundation for Nature Conservation (ProNaturaleza), where he served as its second president and several times as vice president. In 1986, he was invited by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to work in Washington, D.C., as Director of the Peru Program. His time in Washington coincided with the internal division of TNC International that led to the creation of Conservation International (CI), for which he began working in 1987, initially in Washington and later in Lima, as regional vice president for the tropical Andean countries. He retired from CI in 2006. Since then, he has served as an advisor to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
The Carlos Ponce del Prado Award was established in 2009 to honor his legacy. It is sponsored by Profonanpe, Conservation International, the Andes Amazon Fund, WCS, the Ministry of the Environment, and Sernanp.
Learn more about the award at www.premiocarlosponce.pe
