By planting native flora and fauna, removing invasive species, cleaning out trash, and building viewpoints and trails, Ana Di Pangracio is restoring life to degraded land in Argentina.

Land loss in Argentina is a growing concern. “In 2020, we experienced a three-year-long drought, the worst in over 60 years. This had serious social and environmental impacts,” said Pangracio. 

As a lawyer and Director of Biodiversity for FARN, Pangracio heads projects in the Matanza Riachuelo basin, a polluted area on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. The area is home to about 4.5 million people, many live in vulnerable socio-environmental situations or other difficult circumstances. Pangracio organizes trips to bring locals, especially young people, to the restored land. Some are moved to tears during the visits as they experience nature for the first time in their lives.

“The recognition that the right to a healthy environment is a human right underpins all of our work,” said Pangracio. 

At the UN desertification conference Pangracio presented her work and shared that they had received a grant from the G20 Global Land Intiative to continue their restoration work. 

“I’m excited to give more young people the opportunity to enjoy nature and for them to become the new guardians of wetlands and take the message back to their peers about the importance of preserving ecosystems for future generations,” said Pangracio