Spirit of the Rainforest – National Geographic Talk
Join National Geographic explorer, Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza on a journey into the heart of the Amazon, and the challenges it faces
The Amazon Rainforest – vast, mysterious, and teeming with life – has long captured the imagination of explorers, scientists, and storytellers alike. Yet today, it stands at a crossroads, facing mounting threats from deforestation, climate change, and cultural erosion.
In this talk, award-winning scientist, author and one of the BBC’s 100 Women, Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza takes us on a deeply personal journey into the heart of the Amazon. Blending indigenous wisdom with cutting-edge science, she explores the rainforest not just as an ecosystem, but as a living, breathing entity – one that holds profound lessons for resilience, healing, and our connection to the natural world.
Drawing from her book Spirit of the Rainforest, Rosa shares intimate encounters with Amazonian communities, revealing how their ancestral knowledge offers a vital perspective in the face of environmental crises. She explores her own experiences navigating remote ecosystems, discovering biodiversity known to very few, and rekindling our innate sense of wonder and the spirit of exploration.
Spirit of the Rainforest will be available to buy and Rosa will be available to sign it after the talk.
About Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza
Dr. Rosa is a Peruvian chemical biologist, National Geographic Explorer and United Nations, Harmony with Nature, Scientist working across the UK and Peru.
For her groundbreaking contributions to biodiversity and conservation, Rosa was awarded Peru’s Order of Merit (2025)—the country’s highest state recognition for environmental protection. She has also received the American Chemical Society CAS Leadership Award, and was recognized as one of “50 People Changing the World” and a recipient of the “New Explorer Award” (The Explorers Club).
Her expertise and storytelling have illuminated global platforms, from National Geographic & Walt Disney campaigns on sustainability to bilingual space content with NASA & HITN-TV, and TV host for the Science Channel’s “Secrets in the Jungle”. She was also featured in the “Extreme Climate Explorers” documentary, a 2025 BBC World Service production now available on iPlayer. Her work has also been featured in The New York Times, CBS News, BBC, Forbes, NPR, Science Friday, National Geographic Magazine, Caretas, El Comercio, Marie Claire, ABC Studios, RPP, and more.
Location: Please come to the Visitor Centre. You will be directed where to go from there. The event is being held in the exhibition space in the Visitor Centre.
Refreshment availability: Trebah Kitchen will be closed. There will be a bar available with soft/ alcoholic drinks and snacks.
Garden entry: Not included.
When to arrive: Please arrive with enough time for the event to start at the advertised time. Doors open an hour before the performance starts.
