Natalia is a biologist with a master’s and PhD in ecology. Her
professional trajectory has focused on the ecology and conservation of
seasonally dry tropical forests, among the most threatened ecosystems
worldwide. In Colombia, she investigated how forest quality influences red
howler monkey populations, while in Mexico she evaluated the conservation
status of poorly studied dry areas in Veracruz. This work generated valuable
knowledge on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and the relationships
between natural capital, human communities, and traditional knowledge.
She has extensive experience in biodiversity assessments, tropical dry
forest ecology, geographic information systems, and ecosystem service
evaluation. Currently, she is a full-time academic at ITESO’s Interdisciplinary
Center for Social Education and Outreach. From this space, she contributes
to ecological restoration of dry forests across their distribution and
collaborates in transdisciplinary projects that promote social and ecological
transformations aimed at mitigating and adapting to climate change.