This recognition will strengthen the work Marlene has been leading alongside high-Andean communities in Cusco, where she works on the restoration of degraded ecosystems, the recovery of wetlands and grasslands, and the strengthening of local leadership to respond to threats such as wildfires and the effects of climate change.

Reforestation initiative Acción Andina and sustainable textile leader Textil del Valle are joining forces to plant 30,000 native trees and restore wetlands in Peru’s Chincha Valley—an effort that will enhance water security for thousands of families and protect fragile Andean ecosystems.