Indigenous leaders from Latin America, Africa and Asia named first-ever primary forest ambassadors – Press release

The six forest stewards, representing Brazil, Peru, the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Gambia, Indonesia and Thailand, were formally recognised at a ceremony held during the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia.

A component of the Strengthening Conservation of Primary Forests project, the new ambassador initiative is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by IUCN in partnership with the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF). It affirms Indigenous leadership in primary forest conservation, amplifies Indigenous voices and brings their knowledge, experiences and priorities to wider national and global audiences, while fostering knowledge exchange and advocating for greater support for Indigenous-led conservation at CBD COP17 and other high-level dialogues.

“Across the world, Indigenous leaders are working tirelessly to defend our primary forests, often with limited resources, inadequate legal protections and at grave risk to their own safety. Today, we honour their leadership and courage, ensuring their voices are heard on the global stage”, said Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General. “Evidence has shown that securing Indigenous Peoples’ land rights and recognising and respecting traditional knowledge are among the most effective ways to protect forests and biodiversity. Yet Indigenous-led conservation is about more than environmental results; it is about recognising rights, upholding dignity and delivering justice.”

“Indigenous Peoples are essential stewards of many of the world’s primary forests, helping sustain some of the richest biodiversity areas on the planet through knowledge passed down over generations. Today we recognise six of these leaders, several of whom the GEF has had the privilege of working alongside in their territories. Their leadership offers important lessons, and we look forward to continuing to learn from it across all our work,” said Diego Mesa Puyo, GEF CEO and Chairperson. “GEF investments demonstrate the value of Indigenous Peoples’ leadership in the design and governance of conservation, alongside recognition of their rights and knowledge. With more than $4.3 billion pledged for GEF-9, we have committed to increase our support for Indigenous Peoples’ leadership, and we look forward to advancing this work together with them and with these ambassadors.”

The ambassadors are (in alphabetical order):

• Maimuna Jawara, The Gambia and Uganda: An Indigenous leader from the Manding Tribe in The Gambia, Maimuna works at the intersection of forest stewardship, cultural heritage and women’s leadership. Her work with communities in the Senegambia region and Great Virunga landscape has supported the documentation and revitalisation of traditional ecological knowledge related to sacred groves, medicinal plants, mangroves and responsible forest use.
• Herkulanus Sutomo Manna, Indonesia: A Dayak Iban leader from Sungai Utik in West Kalimantan, Herkulanus has helped strengthen customary governance systems that enable his community to manage and protect its forests. The community combines customary zoning and rules for forest use and hunting with community patrols, participatory mapping and traditional agricultural practices to sustain forests, livelihoods and cultural continuity.
• Joseph Itongwa Miukumo, Democratic Republic of Congo: Joseph is a Bambuti Mabuluko leader who has worked to advance Indigenous and community-conserved territories and strengthen recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and contributions to forest conservation. His advocacy has helped connect community-led conservation with national biodiversity and forest policy processes in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Julio Cusurichi Palacios, Peru: A Shipibo-Conibo leader from Madre de Dios in the Peruvian Amazon, Julio has combined Indigenous governance, legal advocacy and political engagement to strengthen forest protection and Indigenous participation in national decision-making. His work has also included efforts to protect the territories and rights of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact.
• Puyr dos Santos Tembé, Brazil: A representative of the Tembé Peoples and the Alto Rio Guamá Indigenous territory in the Brazilian Amazon, Puyr has dedicated her work to strengthening Indigenous territorial governance and forest stewardship. Her work includes promoting Indigenous participation in environmental decision-making and supporting restoration through native species, community seed collection and agroforestry, as well as sustainable livelihoods linked to standing forests.
• Pirawan Wongnithisathaporn, Thailand: A Karen Indigenous woman from Thailand, Pirawan works through the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact to connect Indigenous Peoples’ experiences and priorities with regional and global biodiversity and climate processes. Her work has focused particularly on Indigenous rights, community forestry, environmental governance and strengthening the leadership and participation of Indigenous women and girls.

Vital ecosystems for people, nature and climate

The world’s 1.18 billion hectares of primary forests number among the most biodiverse and ecologically valuable ecosystems on Earth. These forests store vast amounts of carbon – 30-70% more carbon than other forest types. They also filter water, regulate disease, stabilise the climate and buffer communities against floods and drought.

Yet, primary forests, especially in tropical regions, face mounting losses due to deforestation, land conversion, infrastructure development and unsustainable resource extraction. Some 30% of pre-industrial primary forest cover is already gone. Once lost, their complex ecological structures and biodiversity, shaped over centuries by natural processes, cannot be fully recreated by secondary forest regrowth. While restoring degraded forests is essential, it cannot substitute for protecting remaining intact primary forests.

Studies show that Indigenous Peoples are primary forests’ most effective guardians, with Indigenous-managed lands consistently showing lower rates of deforestation and degradation. Indigenous knowledge systems, governance institutions and stewardship practices have contributed to maintaining forests across generations. Indigenous Peoples, however, are not always adequately recognised or represented in decisions affecting forests and biodiversity.  

The six leaders recognised today were chosen among 73 entries nominated by 69 organisations. They were selected by an expert committee that carefully reviewed and graded each application based on a rigorous set of criteria, the most important of which is the extent to which they have protected primary forests.