Barbara ZIMMERMAN

Director Kayapo Project, International Conservation Fund of Canada

In 1989 Barbara Zimmerman became involved with the indigenous activist movement of the Kayapo Indians of the Brazilian Amazon. Since then, she has worked with partner NGO’s and Kayapo communities to help the Kayapo strengthen their capacity for protecting 95,000 km2 of their legally ratified territories from deforestation.

The first conservation enterprise with a Kayapo community was a biological research station that Dr Zimmerman established with the community of A’Ukre in 1992. The success of the A’Ukre conservation and development model led international NGO supporters to expand investment with the Kayapo. Dr Zimmerman helps with coordination and funding of conservation and development programs with the Kayapo. The objective is to empower the Kayapo to continue protecting 9,500,000 ha of their lands in the highly threatened southeastern Amazon.