2026 Future For Nature Awards Winners Announcement!
From a pool of over three hundred fifty international candidates, three young leaders in nature conservation have been selected to receive this year’s Future For Nature Awards. They stand out for their persistence, commitment and impactful initiatives. On Friday, May 8th, 2026, Dayana Blanco Quiroga, Michele Marina Kameni Ngalieu, and Olabisi Atofarati will receive this prestigious nature conservation prize and 50,000 euros each during the Future For Nature Awards ceremony. The Awards ceremony will feature distinguished marine scientist and biodiversity expert David Obura, Chair of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and Founding Director of CORDIO East Africa, as the guest of honour.
Dayana Blanco Quiroga (27 years old) is an Indigenous Aymara woman who mobilized her community to restore Lake Uru Uru and protect Chilean, Andean, and James’s flamingos among other species in Bolivia. By planting 6,000 native totora plants, a natural water purifier, she and her team have restored 10 kilometres of shoreline. Ongoing monitoring confirms the return of all three flamingo species, marking a remarkable milestone in ecosystem recovery and showing Dayana’s conservation leadership.
Michele Marina Kameni Ngalieu (35 years old) is protecting endangered frogs from habitat loss, bad reputations, and pollution in Cameroon. She founded her country’s first female-led herpetological NGO (Herp Cameroon) and promotes eco-friendly farming to reduce habitat deterioration. By working closely together with local communities, she raises awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation while fostering sustainable practices that safeguard Cameroon’s rich herpetofauna diversity for future generations.
Olabisi Atofarati (33 years old) is safeguarding Nigeria’s endemic freshwater Killifish from overharvesting and extinction. As a conservation biologist who combines science with powerful storytelling, she previously advanced protection for the endangered redline pufferfish and now leads initiatives focused on conserving the vulnerable Scheeli killifish, strengthening awareness and action to protect Nigeria’s unique aquatic biodiversity.
The Future For Nature Awards ceremony will take place at Royal Burgers’ Zoo, the Netherlands, on May 8th, 2026.
Attendance in person is by invitation only; however, the event can be experienced worldwide via a live stream on YouTube. This digital broadcast offers audiences the opportunity to witness and support the exceptional contributions of these young conservationists, who are dedicated to protecting our planet’s precious wildlife and ecosystems for future generations.
