Kristen Heard

Nature and Culture International

Nature and Culture International is a conservation organization dedicated to conserving biologically diverse landscapes in Latin America, in concert with local cultures, for the well-being of the planet. Since 1997 we have helped conserve more than 20 million acres of endangered ecosystems, an achievement made possible by an unparalleled cost efficiency and return on investment. We focus our work at the regional and local level, combining strong legal conservation tools with community participation so that all stakeholders have their voices heard. Our local offices collaborate with governments, as well as local and indigenous communities to create and strengthen systems of community-managed protected areas. Our sustainable development programs exist alongside the conservation plans we create for these protected areas in order to secure a better life for local people while preserving globally important ecosystems. Our effectiveness lies in catalyzing these efforts and scaling them so that they take root at the regional and national level. Because we work in some of the most biodiverse places on the planet, we are having a profound impact.