Cali, Colombia - The inaugural Thomas E. Lovejoy Prize was awarded today to two exceptional leaders who are bringing innovative approaches to advance the conservation of the Amazon rainforest. The co-recipients of this year's prize are Marc Duorojeanni, professor emeritus at Universidad Agraria La Molina in Peru, and Belén Páez, president and executive director of Ecuador's Fundación Pachamama. They were celebrated during a ceremony held at the GEF Pavilion in the Blue Zone of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16).
The Thomas E. Lovejoy Prize was created to honor the legacy of Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, who passed away in 2021. Dr. Lovejoy, a renowned expert on biodiversity, was a passionate champion for the conservation of the Amazon rainforest who brought together science and advocacy and a spirit of collaboration to his chosen cause. The prize honors his dedication to the Amazon by acknowledging the achievements of individuals who embody that same spirit and dedication. The Thomas E. Lovejoy Prize is intended to provide a platform for others to learn more about the prize winner's initiatives and achievements, and to help to inspire a new generation of Amazon conservationists at a time of urgency related to the need to avoid reaching an ecological tipping point in the region.
Along with renowned Amazon experts, conservation leaders and the Lovejoy family, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Conservation International (CI), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and World Wildlife Fund in the US (WWF-US) have come together to establish the Lovejoy Prize.
"Tom Lovejoy always saw the good in people. He never yelled. He never demonized. He never exaggerated. He respectfully, consistently, and thoughtfully brought science, wisdom, and clarity to every discussion-which made his voice stand out with Heads of State, leaders of financial institutions, and communities alike," said Carter Roberts, President and CEO of WWF-US. "He taught us all to look at the whole and kept us all hungry for solutions that keep intact the places that we treasure, most particularly the Amazon. This prize honors his legacy by celebrating the lives and work of conservation leaders who bring the same kind of rigor, science, and solutions to keeping the Amazon intact. Congratulations to Marc and Belén on this award and thank you both for your dedication to conserving the place we all love so deeply."
"Tom Lovejoy embodied the best qualities of a leader. He dedicated his life, career, and whole heart to the humble and hard work of saving and valuing nature," said Jennnifer Morris, CEO of The Nature Conservancy. "With boundless generosity, he has inspired generations of activists, innovators and conservationists to protect our beautiful planet and all life. This award will ensure that his spirit and passion continue through generations to come."
"Tom Lovejoy inspired a whole generation of conservationists, including in my home country of Costa Rica. His work in the consolidation of our system of protected areas particularly in Osa is a living testimony of his vision," said Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility. "Of course, Tom's great love was the Amazon rain forest, and the Lovejoy Prize will help ensure that future generations continue to be inspired to conserve this magnificent place. Congratulations to today's winners, and my thanks to them for their passion and commitment."
"Tom Lovejoy was a gifted leader, a visionary scientist, a joyful person - and he was also a gracious mentor and friend to countless young conservationists. It's fitting that this award bears his name, honoring the next generation of leaders working to protect nature for people," said Conservation International CEO Dr. M. Sanjayan. "May this award, and its honorees, continue to carry forward not just Tom's ideas, but his ideals - to remain curious in the face of adversity, to value wisdom in all its forms, and to never lose one's sense of wonder."
"By honoring those individuals that display Tom's three qualities of intelligence, commitment and humility, we can champion the causes that Tom helped found, and ensure his legacy endures," said Joe Walston, Executive Vice President, WCS Global.
About the Prize Winners:
Marc Duorojeanni: Marc Dourojeanni is professor emeritus at Universidad Agraria La Molina in Peru and an independent consultant. Dr. Dourojeanni is an agronomy and forestry engineer whose work and impact spans the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon. He is known as the architect of Peru's protected area system and as a mentor to two generations of conservationists in this vast region. Previously, Dr. Dourojeanni served as vice-rector of the University San Martín de Porres, founding president of ProNaturaleza, vice-president of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), vice-president of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), and the first head of the environment division of the Inter-American Development Bank.
"Life is only worthwhile and interesting if it is about fighting for something more than just yourself," Dr. Dourojeanni said in his acceptance speech. "It is only worthwhile if you feel useful and… what better than helping the Amazon?"
Belén Páez:Belén Páez is president and executive director of Ecuador's Fundación Pachamama. Páez also serves as general secretary for the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Initiative. Her focus on climate change and post-extractive industry transitions has reverberated across Ecuador and Peru. Belén has contributed to victories for the protection of forests and indigenous territorial rights in the Ecuadorian Amazon. With the Sacred Basins initiative, for 6 years now its proposals related to post-extractive systemic transitions have had a regional echo in the Andean Amazon. At the Pachamama Foundation, she has implemented innovative and effective programs to promote the rights and livelihoods of indigenous peoples.
"It is important to live with purpose and commitment. For me, that purpose is the Amazon, and the people who have protected it for generations," Páez said. "In these forests there is a wisdom that we must not only listen to, but also follow. The Amazonian people are the guardians of sacred knowledge that can guide humanity towards a future in which we can coexist, not only as human individuals, but as part of a community of interconnected living beings."
