Lucila Castro

, Natura International

Lucila Belén Castro, 29, completed her biology degree at the National University of Cordoba, Argentina and is currently pursuing a PhD at the Institute of Ecology and Animal Diversity at the University of Cordoba. She received an Argentinian government fellowship to fund her studies in conservation biology.

Lucila grew up in central Argentina on the shores of Mar Chiquita, one of the largest inland waterbodies in South America. She has been engaged in wetland protection since the age of 15 and studied flamingo migration patterns on Mar Chiquita for her undergraduate degree. Lula has worked with a wetland and flamingo conservation group since 2010 and has served as a young scientist on the board of the International Society for Salt Lake Research since 2014.

Lucila is head of the Pacific Biodiversity Institute's South American office, working on the political and scientific prerequisites for three new national parks including one at Mar Chiquita. She has almost single-handedly motivated whole communities and high-level stakeholders around the shared vision of new national parks in Argentina. 

Despite her youth, Lucila has quickly blossomed into a seasoned and skilled educator, negotiator, and scientist who has presented her work internationally at top congresses around the world. She is a vibrant and dynamic force in education, research and conservation.  She has worked extensively in environmental education giving talks and participating in several social campaigns with students and with local communities, giving presentation both in South America and in North America.