Magdalena Reyes Avila

Magdalena is a cultural anthropologist trained at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, with experience working alongside Indigenous and rural communities in Wallmapu, southern Chile, which are navigating environmental transformations driven by climate change and shifts in land use. Her work is grounded in participatory action research, empowering communities to shape the definitions of environmental justice that guide their collaborative efforts. She aims to bridge social and natural sciences with Indigenous and local knowledge, finding novel approaches to land defense and stewardship. Through pursuing an MSc in Forestry, she hopes to acquire tools to better support these community-led processes and contribute to just environmental practices. Apart from academics, Magdalena loves to grow vegetables in her garden and weave in her spare time.