Panama Corridor Project

We are an educational and ecological initiative

designed to raise awareness,

mobilize action, and generate investment

in the restoration of Panama’s biological corridors.

About Us

Panama Corridor Project is a call to action. More than an educational effort, it engages imagination while charting a blueprint for large-scale, data-informed restoration—honoring biodiversity, empowering communities, and strengthening climate resilience.

Our vision is bold: to remind the world that Panama is more than a bridge for commerce—it is a lifeline for life itself. Today, the ancient migratory paths that once connected continents are fractured, but not forgotten.

Join us as we reconnect these broken lines, restore Panama’s biological corridors, and safeguard her legacy for generations to come.

A black illustration of a panther with white spots on its back.

Rossie Pope, Founder & Director

A woman standing outdoors next to a small tree with green leaves on a hillside covered with grass and shrubs.

Rossie Pope is a Panamanian environmentalist, project producer, and committed leader dedicated to restoring Panama’s vital biological corridors—the living bridges that connect North and South America. She works at the intersection of reforestation, education, community building, and environmental justice.

With a Master’s degree in Education, a self-directed study of Deep Ecology, and years of international experience, Rossie raises awareness, inspires action, and attracts investment to safeguard Panama’s biodiversity.

Growing up in Panama in the 1980s, Rossie was surrounded by nature in its full glory. Her homeland’s five distinct ecological regions—two coasts, Pacific and Caribbean, along with cloud forests, archipelagos, cool mountain valleys, and dry jungles—shaped her worldview. Witnessing the rapid decline of these delicate ecosystems over the years has compelled her to dedicate her life to their conservation and restoration. This project amplifies the momentum of Panama’s youth-led environmental movement, inspired by their rallying cry: El oro de Panamá es verde.

Through the language of maps, the wisdom of the land, and the voices of the communities that steward it, Rossie works to reconnect the broken lines of Panama’s living corridors. Today, she is involved in environmental and educational projects in Panama, Bolivia, Argentina, and the United States.

Leadership

  • President, Board of Directors — ProEco Azuero (2020–Present)

  • Advisor— Tigre Gente (2025–Present)

  • Board Member — Rachel’s Network (2021–2024)

  • Board Member, Chair of Development Committee, and Member of Finance Committee — Marin Horizon School (2025–Present)

A map of Central America and the Caribbean showing different ecological zones in various shades of green, yellow, and white, with labels for countries and ecological corridors.
An art gallery with white walls and wooden display tables, featuring various paintings, mixed media art, and installations, including a large blue and green map-like piece on the left and a long canvas with yellow accents on the right. The gallery has track lighting, wooden benches, and a floor display with rocks and stones.
Children's book cover titled "Una calle de árboles, un corredor de vida" with a girl sitting on the ground, a monkey hanging from a tree, and two young trees depicted.

Projects & Collaborations

  • Producer of Una Calle de Árboles, un Corredor de Vida (2022)

  • Conceptualized and commissioned the Map of the Fragmentation of Panama’s Biological Corridors and underwrote the publication and nationwide distribution of thousands of printed maps (2023)

  • Produced the Biological and Cultural Corridor Map for the Suleo Exhibit at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (2025)

Film Production Highlights

Michelle Szejner Sigal, Co-Creator

Michelle Szejner is a Guatemalan biologist, forest scientist, and community development consultant whose work bridges ecology, culture, and social transformation. With more than 15 years of experience in Guatemala, Panamá and Chile, she designs and leads participatory conservation initiatives that strengthen the connection between people and their landscapes  through inclusive and science-based action .

Her practice centers on community-based restoration, water governance, and biocultural conservation—empowering local organizations, Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples, youth, and women to become stewards of their territories. Through her projects, Michelle integrates traditional ecological knowledge with modern environmental science, crafting solutions that are both grounded in local wisdom and aligned with global sustainability goals.

She has advised and evaluated programs for GIZ, WRI, UNDP/GEF, Euroclima and other organizations, promoting equitable governance models and climate resilience at both local and national scales.  In Panama’s Darién region, she has guided community processes for the conservation of micro-watersheds, the formation of local management committees, and the strengthening of community water boards (JAARs)—laying the groundwork for long-term forest and water security.

Michelle co-developed the Map of Panama’s Natural Corridors with Fundación Almanaque Azul, a landmark project that underpins ongoing collaborations, education, and restoration efforts throughout the country. 

Her work embodies the principle that conservation is not just about protecting nature, but about cultivating relationships—between ecosystems, cultures, and generations. Through Panama Corridor Project, Michelle contributes her experience in biocultural governance, participatory mapping, and regional collaboration to reconnect ecological corridors and empower the communities that sustain them.

Leadership & Collaborations

  • Board Member — Fundación Almanaque Azul, Panama 

  • Member — Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Guatemala Chapter

  • Member — Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza, Guatemala

  • Volunteer — Marine Turtle Conservation Initiative, Jaqué, Darién, Panama

A woman sitting on a wooden porch with trees in the background. She is wearing a red shirt, black pants, and red hiking shoes, with a green water bottle in front of her. There are gardening tools, a bag, and a globe above her on the porch.