Professor Ronald E. Sánchez Porras recieves the IPS Charles Southwick Award 2025

Professor Ronald E. Sánchez Porras is the recipient of the 2025 IPS Charles Southwick Award in recognition of his lifelong dedication, passion, and extraordinary contributions to conservation education in Costa Rica and beyond. His work led to the establishment of important reserves, including: Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve (1993); Dendrobates Communal Reserve (1996); Madre Verde Reserve (1998), and his work is ongoing in developing the first Municipal Urban Climate Park. Professor Sánchez Porras stands out for his dedication to citizen science, he serves as the volunteer advisor for the non-profit primate conservation organization Somos Congos (somoscongos.com). He founded the first Municipal Office in Costa Rica for the Management, Protection, and Conservation of Natural Resources in the canton of San Ramón. As the founder and leader of the Annual National Primate Count, Prof. Sánchez Porras established this citizen science initiative to improve community awareness of primate conservation, now in its fifth year. The Officers of the IPS thank Prof. Sánchez Porras for his incredible work and commitment to primate conservation education.