Anita Studer facts for kids

Anita Studer (born February 26, 1944) is a Swiss accountant, bird expert, and conservationist who works to protect nature.

Since 1980, Anita has been working hard to save a forest in northeastern Brazil. She was born in Brienz, Switzerland. When she was 12, her family moved to Geneva. She first visited Brazil in 1976 to see its many different birds. After her trip, she studied birds more deeply at Nancy-Université. Five years later, back in Brazil, she saw a rare blackbird called Forbes's blackbird (Curaeus forbesi). Locals called it "anumará." She found it in the Pedra Talhada forest in the state of Alagoas. Her professor told her that the bird was interesting to study, but the forest where it lived would soon be gone. People were cutting down the forest to raise cattle and grow sugar cane. Instead of just studying the bird, Anita decided to save its home.

Saving the Forest

Anita worked hard to protect the Pedra Talhada forest. Because of her efforts, 4,500 hectares (about 11,000 acres) of the forest were made a federal reserve. This means it is now a protected area. Anita also started planting new trees, covering over 800 hectares (about 2,000 acres). To make sure the forest stayed healthy, she planted many different types of trees that naturally grow there. She also got local children involved in these tree-planting projects.

To raise money for her work, Anita started the Nordesta Association in Switzerland. This group has also helped fund new schools in the local villages. She also helped local people start businesses to improve their economy. Anita herself works as an accountant in Geneva to earn a living.

Her work in Brazil was featured in a 1996 documentary called "Mother Forest and the Street Children." This film was shown on the Discovery Channel.

Making a Difference

Anita Studer has received special recognition for her environmental work. In 1990, she received a Rolex Award for Enterprise. This award honors people who do amazing work to improve the world.

Two new species have even been named after her! A type of frog, Dendropsophus studerae, and a lichen species, Astrothelium studerae, carry her name. This shows how important her contributions are to science and conservation.

Anita has been involved in many important activities:

• She helped coordinate studies by 15 university teams looking at different parts of the forest, like plants, animals, and water.
• She studied Brazilian birds to understand their behavior and help create plans to protect them.
• In 2013, she became an Honorary Professor at the University Foundation of Iguatama in Brazil.
• From 2006 to 2014, she led a campaign to protect large birds of prey and parrots in the Amazon rainforest.
• In 2004, she helped launch a project that brought solar lighting to 50 schools in the state of Maranhão, Brazil.
• She has also been involved in planting millions of trees in Brazil, showing her long-term commitment to restoring forests.

See also

In Spanish: Anita Studer para niños