We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and leading member of the Science Panel for the Amazon Strategic Committee, Dr. Thomas Lovejoy. Dr. Lovejoy, often referred to as the “godfather of biodiversity”, was a scientific giant and renowned conservationist who fervently advocated for the environment, in particular the Amazon. Dr. Lovejoy had a long and illustrious career, and his work has shaped the field of conservation biology. Among his many accomplishments, he was the creator and president of the Amazon Biodiversity Center and the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, served on three presidents’ science and environmental councils, and his work was recognized with numerous prestigious honors such as the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement and the Blue Planet Prize.
The Science Panel for the Amazon is grateful for his strategic involvement in our work and will remember Dr. Lovejoy as a gentle giant, and a tireless champion of Amazonian conservation, and an outstanding accomplished biologist. Dr. Lovejoy was a wonderful and wise contributor to the Science Panel for the Amazon and we greatly valued the expertise he brought to all aspects of our work. The loss of his presence is a profound one, but his contributions to the scientific community will remain influential and long-lasting. We send our condolences to his family and friends at this time.
Carlos Nobre, Co- Chair and Emma Torres, SPA Strategic Coordinator
On behalf of the Science Panel for the Amazon