Smiling woman with long dark hair pointing upward in a lush green forest setting.

Scholarship program

For the next generation of environmentalists

Investing in tomorrow's conservation leaders

Through our scholarship program, we empower young people—across diverse nations and backgrounds—to experience conservation firsthand and emerge as dedicated local leaders for environmental protection.

Scholarship program at-a-glance

56

environmental ambassadors

earned a scholarship to join a life-changing wilderness expedition

13

scholarship recipients

chose to commit to voluntary service following their expedition

12

research grants

awarded to Peruvian scholars since 2024 to conduct field research in the Amazon

Our journey began by supporting young scientists in Canada through the Wisdom Seekers – Knowledge Keepers program. Since the early days of Wilderness International, these environmental ambassadors have ventured into the heart of the wilderness on immersive expeditions. Deeply transformed by these experiences, they have gone on to inspire thousands of others to protect our planet.

Building on this success, we launched annual four-week research scholarships in 2024 for Peruvian students. In partnership with Fauna Forever and Wilderness International Peru, scholars work alongside field researchers deep in the rainforest. We look for passionate candidates with relevant academic backgrounds, such as biology, forestry, or veterinary medicine, who are eager to study local flora and fauna, pass on vital knowledge, and champion long-term conservation.

The impact speaks for itself: environmental engineer Xiomara Banegas was so inspired by her scholarship experience that she officially joined our team as a permanent Forest Guardian.

During my time in the rainforest, a phrase by Lavoisier kept running through my mind: “In nature, nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed.” I realized that this transformation applied not only to the ecosystems we were studying but also to us—as researchers and conservationists in training.
Xiomara Banegas Scholarship recipient, April 2024
Six smiling people pose together in a lush forest with dense green foliage surrounding them.
This experience has deeply motivated me to pursue a career in research and nature conservation—something particularly important in a mega diverse country like Peru, where scientific research still receives only limited support.
Alanis Flavia Cruz Flores Scholarship recipient, November 2025

Trailblazers in the Amazon: Our first female scholars

Discover how two young Peruvian scientists, an environmental engineer and a veterinary surgeon, transformed their passion into action deep in the rainforest. Follow Danae and Xiomara as they track nocturnal wildlife, master field research methods, and share what it means to become the next generation of Amazonian conservationists.
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