Biografía

EDUARDO FRANCO BERTON

Environmental investigative journalist – Lawyer – Wildlifephotojournalist

I began my career as an environmental and conservation lawyer. Over time, my passion for nature inspired me to broaden my impact through journalism, photography, and socio-environmental philanthropy.

As an environmental investigative journalist, I have reported on issues critical to Latin America, covering rainforests, environmental crimes, wildlife trafficking, natural resource exploitation, and indigenous rights. My work, including in-depth investigations and photographs, has been featured in international outlets such as National Geographic, Mongabay, O Eco, InfoAmazonia, Amazon Underworld, among others. In 2016, I founded raibolivia.org, a platform dedicated to conservation and environmental news, offering a vital voice on issues impacting Bolivia and the broader Latin American region.

With a camera in hand, I have traveled across five continents—from photographing mountain gorillas in Rwanda to penguin colonies in Patagonia. I’ve documented indigenous communities deep in the rainforest, exposed beetle smuggling in Japan, and filmed vibrant marine life in Caribbean coral reefs. Each journey fuels my mission to share stories and images that reveal the richness of biodiversity and inspire the conservation of ecosystems.

My philanthropic work started in 2019, when I established the Semilla Socio-Environmental Fund, a nonprofit supporting grassroots conservation and sustainability initiatives. To date, Semilla has funded 277 projects, distributing over 1.2 million USD directly to communities and local organizations across Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Ecuador. Our organization promotes environmental conservation while investing in the lives of the planet´s guardians.

My academic background includes a law degree from the Private University of Santa Cruz de la Sierra and a master’s in Climate Change from the European University of the Atlantic, along with postgraduate studies in Environmental Law, Management and Conservation of Natural Areas, and Creative Writing.