Elda Vasconcelos

Brazilian environmental activist who pioneered sustainable rubber tapping in the Amazon

Elda Vasconcelos (1937-2003) revolutionized rubber tapping practices in the Amazon rainforest through her groundbreaking 'Living Tree Protocol'. Unlike traditional methods that destroyed trees, her technique allowed continuous latex extraction while preserving 92% of tree bark integrity.

As founder of the Forest Guardian Alliance, she trained over 15,000 indigenous harvesters in bio-friendly methods between 1978-2002. Her UN-recognized work reduced deforestation rates by 40% in protected zones of Acre state.

Vasconcelos' most radical innovation was the 'Tree Banking System' where corporations paid locals to maintain specific forest areas. This model inspired modern carbon credit systems and generated $200 million in sustainable income for Amazon communities by 2000.