In a context of climate crisis and biodiversity loss, we decided to reach out to those who are working to care for and restore the places we inhabit. In this conversation, Argentine ecologist Analí Bustos, co-founder of Fundación Monte Alegre, invites us to think of restoration not just as an environmental action but as a profoundly human process.

Analí's journey toward nature started early, when her mother taught her to observe the simplest things: flowers, leaves, tiny creatures, birds flying by. That habit of paying attention opened a door to wonder that has never closed. Today, Analí defines herself as a life explorer, and she’s fortunate enough — and challenged enough — to make that her work. Her mission: to restore and protect Nature, helping people remember that they, too, are the Nature they seek to restore.

‍What made you see the natural world not just as a place to enjoy, but as a space to recover?

‍Undoubtedly, it was my scientific training that opened my eyes to that. I specialize in Ecology and Conservation, and when you start working with data, you see the enormous damage caused by the climate crisis.If you pay attention, you start to notice damaged ecosystems: the silence, the lack of colors, the absence of variety and beauty. Those voids are the expression of the polycrisis we’re currently facing, where not only are massive climate processes underway, but we’re also losing biodiversity and ecological processes that directly affect our quality of life.

‍How do you see your path today? Do you feel you’re building something new or recovering what was always there?

‍My path has been a nonlinear creation, and I’m really proud of that because I haven’t followed a set recipe for my career. I try to lean in and follow my instincts when something sparks my interest — whether it’s a project, a person, a place, a course, or a workshop. And from there, I see if it fits into what I’m building.

What I treasure the most in everything I do is the work with other people. It might sound obvious, but I couldn’t enjoy my day-to-day, the things that go well or go wrong, without all the people pulling in the same direction.

How do you live in these landscapes you’re trying to restore?

‍It’s tough to completely disconnect when something is such a core part of you. Since my work is so deeply tied to my purpose and the things I love doing every day, everything is kind of blended together. I try to set aside moments to disconnect from technology and just be present when I’m out there. Sometimes, the sheer beauty of a place can quiet your mind in an instant. Apart from that, I made a commitment to my body some time ago: to give it sun, movement, and conscious breathing every day. That opened up a range of activities I can do to stay grounded, and since I’m naturally curious, I always find something new to try.

‍What challenges have you faced as a woman working in a historically male-dominated field?

‍There’s this feeling that you’re in a space that wasn’t built for you, and that you have to justify your presence somehow. And that only intensifies (not just in my field but in general) the higher up you go. Another big challenge is the lack of female role models. If you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up, they’re likely to name a traditional job or one that someone they know does: their mom, dad, uncles, friends. Since there are still so few women in science and in land work, it’s harder for girls and young women to imagine themselves in those roles. I hope that will change over time.

‍Do you feel your perspective brings something different to how restoration is approached today?

‍I feel like I’m building as I go, and I’m deeply influenced by people who inspire me along the way. I say that because, while I’m not sure I’m creating something completely new, I do know what I want to emphasize in restoration, and that’s the social aspect.Humans are everywhere on the planet, so until we work on behavioral patterns, our triggers, motivations, and ways of inhabiting the world, we’re not going to achieve powerful results.

In my role as co-founder of Fundacion Monte Alegre Fundación Monte Alegre, I try to make sure that forest restoration happens alongside social restoration. Without the other, both lose strength over time.

What changes when we see ourselves as just another species, not as “humans” detached from our environment?

‍That shift in focus was a huge awakening for me, and it’s reshaped my worldview.

Understanding ourselves as just another animal species gives us essential insights into what we need and why. It helps us understand our behaviors and needs, both internally and externally.

And as I said earlier, it puts us in a more humble position with respect to all the incredible life forms we share this place with.
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How do you keep that initial drive alive when the process of restoration is slow and often frustrating?

‍I think it’s a mix of curiosity and a spiritual journey that I started some time ago. I began reading and connecting with different knowledge, people, and experiences that opened up new inner ‘windows.’Slowly, I began to realize that I already had the best teacher in my life: Nature itself. Nature teaches us about cycles, timing, balance, life, death, and transformation.

When we restore ecosystems, we have to be incredibly humble because Nature’s timelines exceed our own, and there’s so much we don’t know. It’s an endless learning process.

And while that can seem like a disadvantage (like the saying, “no one rests under the tree they plant”), it’s amazing to think that the work we’re doing contributes to a chain of life that stretches beyond our own lifetimes. To keep that perspective, I’ve had to — and will continue to — work on my ego, my expectations, my anxieties, and my concept of what success really means.

It’s unimaginable how transformative it is to start connecting with the Earth.

What role does your work as a restorer play in channeling that connection with the natural world?

‍Right now, I’m in multiple spaces: academia, the nonprofit sector, and the private sector. It’s incredibly enriching to be able to see restoration from different ‘lenses.’In general, even though I hold different responsibilities, I feel like my place is in creating connections between those worlds, ‘translating’ their languages to build a shared one. I hope my actions continue to create knowledge, structures, projects, and mechanisms that invite more people, in various roles, to work for the planet’s health. The current climate crisis requires many complex and interconnected transitions, and to make that happen, we need as many players as possible.

‍What’s one message you’d like to share with those reading this piece?

‍We need to understand that this wonderful planet can sustain human life thanks to the countless forms of life that inhabit it. It’s the activity of millions of species that creates the balance that makes Earth habitable, breathable, livable. If Nature is strong and healthy, so are we. Ultimately, we’re one and the same.

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