Jorge Pádua, Maria Tereza (1943–)

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Jorge Pádua, Maria Tereza (1943–)

Brazilian ecologist. Name variations: Maria Tereza Jorge Padua. Born in São Josédo Rio Pardo, Brazil, May 8, 1943.

Became a director of Brazil's national park system (1970), assisting in establishment of nearly 20-million acres of parks and reserves in Amazonia; her work to protect the wilderness provoked death threats from those wishing to exploit the environment; in 1986, founded Fundação Pró-Natureza (Foundation for the Protection of Nature) which seeks to expand protected areas while exploring environmentally sound options to develop Brazil's resources.