Ethnobotanist & Rainforest Conservationist; President & Co-Founder of Amazon Conservation Team; Author of "Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice"

Arlington County, VA, USA
Live Event: $10,000 - $20,000 Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000 More Fee Info

Dr. Mark Plotkin Biography

Dr. Mark Plotkin is an ethnobotanist and rainforest conservationist who has dedicated more than four decades to studying traditional plant use with indigenous communities in Central and South America. Educated at Harvard, Yale, and Tufts, Plotkin has focused much of his research on the rainforests of the northeast Amazon, particularly working with the Trio people of southern Suriname. His research spans from Mexico to Brazil, emphasizing the intersection of ethnobotany, indigenous knowledge, and rainforest conservation.

Throughout his career, Plotkin has held senior positions at leading scientific and conservation organizations. He has served as research associate in ethnobotanical conservation at the Botanical Museum of Harvard University, director of plant conservation at World Wildlife Fund, vice president of Conservation International, and research associate at the Department of Botany at the Smithsonian Institution. Plotkin has collaborated with more than 50 South American tribes to map and protect over 80 million acres of ancestral forests. He is president and co-founder of the Amazon Conservation Team, a nonprofit organization recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme Global 500 Roll of Honour and UNESCO for best practices using indigenous knowledge.

Plotkin is the author of several books, including "Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice," "The Shaman's Apprentice: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest," and "Medicine Quest: In Search of Nature's Healing Secrets." His book "The Amazon: What Everyone Needs to Know" was published by Oxford University Press. His work has been featured in the documentary "The Shaman's Apprentice" and in the Academy Award-nominated IMAX film "Amazon."

Plotkin's contributions to ethnobotany and conservation have been recognized with honors such as the San Diego Zoo Gold Medal for Conservation, the Roy Chapman Andrews Distinguished Explorer Award, the International Conservation Leadership Award from the Jane Goodall Institute, and the Skoll Foundation's Award for Social Entrepreneurship. Time Magazine named Plotkin an environmental "Hero for the Planet," and Smithsonian Magazine included him among "35 who made a difference." The American Botanical Council has also recognized his lifelong work in the field.

In addition to his fieldwork and writing, Plotkin is a public communicator on Amazon conservation and indigenous knowledge. His TED Talk on protecting uncontacted tribes has reached a global audience. His work has been featured in PBS Nova, Fox TV, NBC Nightly News, Today Show, CBS' 48 Hours, Life, Newsweek, Smithsonian, People, The New York Times, and on National Public Radio. Plotkin hosts the podcast "Plants of the Gods: Hallucinogens, Healing, Culture and Conservation," which explores the cultural, religious, and healing significance of hallucinogenic plants and fungi.

BOOK Dr. Mark Plotkin

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 10/30/2026.

Dr. Mark Plotkin Speaking Topics

  • The Power of Social Entrepreneurs to Change the World

    Dr. Plotkin understands some of the unprecedented economic, environmental, social and cultural challenges that we are facing in the world today, and that the most efficient and effective way to turn these challenges into opportunities is to open the door to innovative thinkers with a social cause. In this speech, Dr. Plotkin outlines his inspiring journey and addresses the key goals that every social entrepreneur should follow in order to create a successful path for change. Audiences leave his presentations with renewed focus and energy to become true change agents in societies around the world.

  • Mitigating Climate Change: A Proven Approach

    In the age of killer hurricanes like Katrina and Sandy, melting polar ice caps, and increasingly weird weather patterns

    • it may seem as if the scope and scale of the climate change issue is so daunting that nothing can be done. However, when rainforests are burned, the carbon released into the atmosphere is the world’s second largest source of greenhouse gases. If we wish to mitigate global warming, the most efficient and effective way to do so is protecting tropical rainforests than the more intractable problem of reducing global fossil fuel consumption. In other words, if you are in a boat which is leaking, you should plug the leak in addition to bailing water. Mark Plotkin, Ph.D. has been working in the Amazon for over 30 years and has developed a uniquely effective and efficient method of protecting rainforests and mitigating global warming. This enthralling lecture documents the trails and travails of this extraordinary adventure.

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Dr. Mark Plotkin Videos

It's All The Same Thing: Mark Plotkin | Amazon Conservation Team

It's All The Same Thing: Mark Plotkin | Amazon Conservation Team

Mark Plotkin: What the people of the Amazon know that you don't

Mark Plotkin: What the people of the Amazon know that you don't

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  • What topics does Dr. Mark Plotkin speak about?

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    Dr. Mark Plotkin generally travels from Arlington County, VA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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Dr. Mark Plotkin is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as The Power of Social Entrepreneurs to Change the World, Mitigating Climate Change: A Proven Approach and Living Longer & Better: 30 Years of Lessons from the Rainforest. The estimated speaking fee range to book Dr. Mark Plotkin for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Dr. Mark Plotkin generally travels from Arlington County, VA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Rick Ridgeway, Gary White, Sebastian Copeland, Ashlee Piper and Natalie Kyriacou OAM. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Dr. Mark Plotkin for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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