ALEXANDRA CLIMENT

Alexandra Climent is a grassroots environmentalist, explorer, artist, and founder of the nonprofit Endangered Rainforest Rescue. She has dedicated over seven years of fieldwork to locate, source, and track the presence of endangered tree species within Panama's Darién Gap. Her work combines scientific expertise with a deep respect for indigenous knowledge, collaborating closely with local communities. By collecting valuable samples of bark, leaves, and seeds, the aim is to identify and protect these elusive tree species, contributing to the restoration of the rainforest ecosystem. Her research is shared with the Yale Environmental Institute and The Smithsonian Institute to survey the dramatic environmental changes within the remote jungles of Panamá. The communal aid of institutions, indigenous communities, and determined individuals involved with this project defines the humanistic potential for radical environmental change. Through those combined efforts, ERR has successfully reforested tens of thousands of endangered trees on protected land in Panamá. In the future, she aims to continue reforestation practices, deepen relationships within local communities, and redistribute wealth from the global north.

True sustainability is the primary ethos of her artistic practice. Her work is defined by a holistic cycle of use and restoration. From the sourcing of these materials to their art production - creating functional art in the form of fine furniture and sculpture with some of the densest and most rare wood in the world - and lastly to the reforestation of these species. Her work has been featured in New York Magazine, Nylon Magazine, Luxe Interiors and Design amongst many other publications.

Alexandra is a prolific storyteller who has spoken about her activism and artistic practice around the globe from The Explorers Club Annual Dinner, New York University, Makers Central UK, G20 India and Patreon Assembly. Alexandra has also published articles on her work, most recently in "The World Sensorium, Plantings," where she discusses the importance of protecting the Darien Gap, including the vital role it plays in preserving indigenous lands. You can read the article here to gain further insight into our efforts to safeguard these invaluable ecosystems and prevent further deforestation.

She was selected as the United States Country Leader for the G20's Changemaker Summit hosted by India in 2023 and was recently chosen as a “Next Generation Explorer” at The Explorers Club in NYC, where she is a member.