Tatiana is a forestry engineer who decided to focus her work not on the timber industry – as most of her colleagues do – but on the protection of the large trees that are subject to indiscriminate extraction, and are threatened with imminent extinction.

She has researched the flora and fauna of the Amazon forest in the Madre de Dios region, with special emphasis on the large trees that, because of their characteristic hardwoods of great commercial value for flooring, are being cut at an unsustainable rate.

Photo by Brian I Peters

Tatiana has lived in Madre de Dios for more than 15 years, and in 2010 she founded an NGO called Arbio to create a 1000-hectare reserve. She has traveled on long forest expeditions to find the largest trees in the area – so far, she has identified up to 350 individuals in an area of 200 hectares, and she has even more to explore. Through her research, she has managed to determine the average age of the most threatened species today, the Shihuahuaco (Dipteryx micrantha) – around 650 years in the population under study.

Tatiana wants to have this ancient, slow-growing endangered species recategorized to prevent it from being further depleted. She strives to spread the message of promoting the conservation of these natural forests that still survive.

Tatiana is an inspiring person because of her total commitment and dedication to the health of the planet. In 2019 she was recognized by the IRF (International Ranger Federation) with the Jane Goodall Hope and Inspiration Award for her work as a park ranger.