Ruiz '71 Establishes Madidi National Park
From its lush rain forests to its snow-capped peaks, every
inch of Bolivia's Madidi National Park seems alive like no
other place on Earth. This 4.7 million acre region has perhaps
the greatest biodiversity of any protected area in the world
- and thanks to Rosa Maria Ruiz '71,
it has a chance at survival.
For more than 30 years, Ruiz has overcome unrelenting obstacles
while striving to define and legally establish the northwestern
corner of Bolivia as a national park. In Madidi, she was able
to succeed by developing a revolutionary plan that includes
protecting both the diverse ecosystems and the rights of its
native residents, the Tacana, Quechua, Esse Ijja, Leco and
Moseten Indians.
Her crusade began in the 60s, when Ruiz used her background
in community development and indigenous rights to enable 20
Tacana communities - approximately 2,500 people - to safeguard
their territory and learn the skills needed to sustain themselves
without damaging the environment. In 1992, Ruiz launched EcoBolivia,
a nonprofit organization that remains one of the few institutions
to both support indigenous communities and promote the conservation
of the area's biodiversity. Through the EcoBolivia Foundation,
Ruiz is helping local indigenous people operate their own
agro-forestry and eco-tourism projects, and is training them
to serve as guardians of the park. The Foundation also battles
oil exploration, dams, land speculators and gold miners. But
it hasn't been easy, and Ruiz often runs up against powerful
interests that oppose her work.
After years of activism, independent research and lobbying
the Bolivian government, Ruiz's efforts paid off when the
president of Bolivia signed legislation that established Madidi
National Park in 1995. The legislation defines borders that
enclose rugged glacial peaks that rise to more than 19,000
feet, Andean grasslands, dry forest, moist cloud forests,
plush rain forests and seasonally flooding wetlands. The park
is home to 1,100 species of birds, and many scientists believe
that hundreds, even thousands, of species have yet to be identified
within its borders. Without Ruiz's unflagging efforts, the
future of this diverse habitat would be at the mercy of those
eager to exploit it.
Ruiz's outstanding advocacy for Madidi National Park is
a perfect example of common-sense conservation at its best.
Her achievement in harmonizing the needs of people and nature
is recognized as a model for creating and protecting national
parks worldwide, and continues to prove that with enough passion
and dedication, one person truly can make a difference. 
Victoria Hochberg '64 on location. Victoria Hochberg
'64, award-winning screenwriter and director, conducted
a screenwriting workshop on campus February 13-15, 2004.
Hochberg has worked on numerous films and TV shows, including
episodes of Sex and the City, Ally McBeal, and Melrose Place.
She shared her experiences and her extensive knowledge about
the screenwriting process in an opening presentation on
Friday evening, and then worked closely with a group of
students in intensive sessions throughout the weekend. It
was a phenomenally successful event. "You come back
to campus and it looks different. Then ten students troop
into the room and you see nothing has changed. The creative
work that emerged from them was amazing. And Anne Bohlen,
Associate Professor of Film/Communications, deserves the
medal of honor. (Or at least a raise.) Antioch is extraordinary
and I was lucky to go there. Twice," says Hochberg.
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