22 January 2020

MEDIA RELEASE by SAVE THE GOLDEN LION TAMARIN

(contact@savetheliontamarin.org)

Associação Mico-Leão-Dourado Forest Protection Team 

Receives Disney Conservation Hero Award

Silva Jardim, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 27 January 2020  - Associação Mico-Leão-Dourado (Golden Lion Tamarin Association - AMLD) announced today that environmental educator Nandia Xavier Menezes and field technician Nelson Barbosa, both born and raised in the municipality of Silva Jardim in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where the majority of golden lion tamarin monkeys live, have been honored with a 2019 Disney Conservation Hero Award.  This award from the Disney Conservation Fund recognizes local citizens for their commitment to save wildlife, protect habitats, and inspire their communities to take part in conservation efforts. Nandia and Nelson are one of only 18 award recipients in 2019 globally.  

Nandia Menezes and Nelson Barbosa have dedicated their careers to teaching and empowering local people to value their communities’ natural resources and practice conservation where they live and work.  Nandia coordinates AMLD’s Environmental Education and Ecotourism Programs. The Rediscovering the Atlantic Forest service-learning course that empowers local teachers and leaders to become conservation ambassadors in their communities has reached more than 5,000 students from 50 public schools in three municipalities.  The Forest Guardians initiative prepares local youth to become conservation leaders.  Nelson, with more than 30 years of experience with AMLD, coordinates the organization’s Rural Extension Program.  A natural communicator, Nelson works with landowners in the area where golden lion tamarins live, to inspire and build their capacity to use agroecological practices and to raise native Atlantic Forest tree seedlings.  Each family in the AMLD network is now producing and selling 20,000-40,000 native tree seedlings a year, which are helping to reforest habitat for golden lion tamarins and other wildlife. Together, this team has positively impacted the lives of thousands and improved the future of forests for people and animals.

This is the second time that the work of AMLD staff members has been recognized with a Disney Conservation Hero Award.  In 2013 the field team that monitors the golden lion tamarins, coordinated by biologist Andréia Martins, also received this honor.

Disney Conservation is committed to saving wildlife and building a global community inspired to work together to protect the magic of nature.  Since 1995, the Disney Conservation Fund has directed $86 million to support nonprofit organizations working with communities to save wildlife, inspire action and protect the planet, and has honored more than 180 Conservation Heroes for their extraordinary conservation efforts.  For a complete list of recent Conservation Hero Award recipients, visit https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-conservation-fund-celebrates-its-2019-heroes/

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Associação Mico-Leão-Dourado is a Brazilian non-governmental organization created to protect biodiversity and save the golden lion tamarin from extinction.  On the entire planet, this tiny monkey exists in the wild in the remaining forests of only eight municipalities in the interior of the state of Rio de Janeiro.  With its offices at Km 119 on Highway BR101, in Silva Jardim, Rio de Janeiro, the NGO works in partnership with diverse national and international entities.

For more information see us on Instagram and Facebook @associacaomicoleaodourado or contact us by email comunicacao@micoleao.org.br

AMLD employees and Disney Conservation Hero Award winners Nandia Menezes and Nelson Barbosa (Photo by Luiz Thiago de Jesus)

AMLD environmental educator Nandia Menezes

(Photo by Luiz Thiago de Jesus)

AMLD field technicianNelson Barbosa

(Photo by Sally Foster)