Rhett Ayers Butler founded Mongabay in 1999 with the mission of raising interest in and appreciation for wild lands and wildlife. For the first several years, he operated the project on his own, publishing thousands of stories and tens of thousands of photos.
Today, Rhett serves as editor-in-chief and CEO of Mongabay, a nonprofit media organization with more than 125 staff across five bureaus and a network of roughly 1,000 correspondents in 80 countries. Its coverage ranges from conventional news to deeply reported investigative projects.
Beyond Mongabay, Rhett founded WildMadagascar.org, a site that highlights the cultural and biological richness of Madagascar and reports on environmental developments in the island nation.
He also co-founded Tropical Conservation Science (acquired by SAGE Publications in 2016), an open-access academic journal that created opportunities for scientists in developing countries to publish their research, and the Tropical Forest Network (BATFN), an in-person professional community in the San Francisco Bay Area that convened more than 100 events and nearly 3,000 participants from 2009 to 2019.
Rhett has advised a wide range of organizations, including governments, multilateral development agencies, media outlets, academic institutions, foundations, and companies. He has been cited as a source by numerous international media outlets.
He has served on the XPRIZE Visioneering Brain Trust, the advisory council to the Yang Center at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and the World Economic Forum’s Futures Council, among other roles.
Rhett’s writing has appeared in magazines, newspapers, online media, and academic journals. His photographs have been published in hundreds of outlets worldwide. He frequently lectures at universities and speaks at conferences on topics spanning nonprofit journalism, tropical forests, and conservation trends.
Rhett regularly speaks at events and universities around the world on topics ranging from non-profit journalism to tropical forests to trends in conservation.
He has been profiled in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Voice of America and The Almanac, among other publications.
In 2014, Rhett became the first journalist to win the Parker/Gentry Award, a conservation prize given annually by the Field Museum in Chicago. He was honored with the Pongo Environmental Award in 2020, the SEAL Environmental Journalism Award in 2021, and the Heinz Award in 2022. In 2025 he was named a Forbes 50 Sustainability Leader.
Rhett’s interest in conservation began with early experiences in the rainforests of Ecuador, where a fascination with frogs and other wildlife sparked a lifelong passion for biodiversity. He often describes his approach as “optimism as a method,” believing that solutions-oriented storytelling can inspire agency and hope in the face of global environmental challenges.
Awards and Accolades:
- Katerva Award for Global Innovation – Finalist (2013)
- Parker/Gentry Award for Conservation (2014)
- Pongo Environmental Award (2020)
- Wall of Heroes from the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) (2020)
- the 2020 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award (2021)
- the 27th annual Heinz Award (2022)
- BBVA Biophilia Award to Mongabay (2023)
- Forbes 50 Sustainability Leader (2025)
Highlighted non-Mongabay publications:
2025
- Zuzana Buřivalová, Gwendolyn A. Richardson, Bennett Rabach, Sharif A. Mukul, and Rhett A Butler. An open‐contributions platform for evidence on forest conservation. Ecological Solutions and Evidence 6(2) April 2025. DOI: 10.1002/2688-8319.70028
2023
- Z Buřivalová, N Yoh, RA Butler, HSSC Sagar, ET Game. Broadening the focus of forest conservation beyond carbon. Current Biology, 2023
2022
- Darren Norris, Terciane Sabadini Carvalho, Angela M Guerrero, Maria Isabel Sobral Escada, Ane Alencar, Liz Kimbrough, Rhett A Butler. Cutting Down Trees Does not Build Prosperity: On the Continued Decoupling of Amazon Deforestation and Economic Development in 21st Century Brazil. Tropical Conservation Science, 2022
2020
- Lucienne Wilmé, John L Innes, Derek Schuurman, Bruno Ramamonjisoa, Marion Langrand, Charles V Barber, Rhett A Butler, George Wittemyer, Patrick O Waeber. The elephant in the room: Madagascar’s rosewood stocks and stockpiles. Conservation Letters, 2020
- Z Burivalova, D Miteva, N Salafsky, RA Butler, DS Wilcove. Reply to Mupepele and Dormann ‘Evidence Ranking Needs to Reflect Causality’. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 2020
- Z Burivalova, D Miteva, N Salafsky, RA Butler, DS Wilcove. Evidence Types and Trends in Tropical Forest Conservation Literature. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 34, 669–679, 2020
2019
- Lucienne Wilmé, John L Innes, Derek Schuurman, Bruno Ramamonjisoa, Marion Langrand, Charles V Barber, Rhett A Butler, George Wittemyer, Patrick O Waeber. Management options for addressing the persistent and unresolved CITES issue of Madagascar’s rosewood stocks and stockpile. PeerJ Preprints, 2019.
- Butler, R (2019). Indonesia: As forests die, expect hotter days, longer droughts. [Free version] Straits Times. 30 Sep 2019.
- Burivalova, Z, Butler, R, and Wilcove, D (2019). A response to Correia et al. Front Ecol Environ 2019; 17( 5): 256– 256, doi:10.1002/fee.2047
- Burivalova, Z, Allnutt, T, Rademacher, D, Schlemm, A, Wilcove, D, Butler, R (2019). What works in tropical forest conservation, and what does not: Effectiveness of four strategies in terms of environmental, social, and economic outcomes. Conservation Science and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.28 17 Apr 2019.
- Butler, R (2019). How listening ears can help save the forests [LinkedIn version]. The Straits Times 05 Jan 2019.
- Burivalova, Z, Game, E, Butler, R, and Wilcove, D (2019). The sound of a tropical forest PDF. Science 04 Jan 2019: Vol. 363, Issue 6422, pp. 28-29 DOI: 10.1126/science.aav1902
2018
- Burivalova, Z, Butler, R, and Wilcove, D (2018). Analyzing Google search data to debunk myths about the public’s interest in conservation. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment; doi:10.1002/fee.1962. October 2018.
2014
- Butler, R (2014). A Conservationist Sees Signs of Hope for the World’s Rainforests. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. October 2014.
- Butler, R (2014). A New Leaf in the Rainforest: Longtime Villain Vows Reform. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. March 2014.
2012
- Butler, R (2012). A Desperate Effort to Save the Rainforest of Borneo. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. June 2012.
- Butler, R (2012). Fighting A Last-Ditch Battle to Save the Rare Javan Rhino. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. March 2012.
2011
- Butler, R (2011). A Revolutionary Technology is Unlocking Secrets of the Forest. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. October 2011.
- Butler, R and Hance, J. (2011). A Huge Oil Palm Plantation Puts African Rainforest at Risk. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. September 2011.
- Butler, R. (2011). Rainforests. CreateSpace. ISBN-10: 1463774575 September 2011.
- Sodhi, Navjot S., Rhett Butler, and Peter Raven (2011). Bottom-Up Conservation. Biotropica. September 2011.
- Butler, R (2011). In Brazil, Palm Oil Plantations Could Help Preserve Amazon. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. June 2011.
- Saloh, Y. and Butler, R (2011). Moratorium dan Ekonomi Rendah Karbon Koran Tempo. May 27, 2011.
- Butler, R (2011). Will Indonesia Lose the Next Oil Palm? The Jakarta Post. May 16, 2011.
- Sodhi, Navjot S., Rhett Butler, William F. Laurance and Luke Gibson. Conservation successes at micro, meso and macro scales. Trends in Ecology and Evolution.
2010
- Butler, R (2010). Indonesia’s Corruption Legacy Clouds a Forest Protection Plan. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. December 2010.
- Herndon, C. and Butler, R (2010). Significance of biodiversity to health. Accepted for publication in Biotropica. BIOTROPICA 42(5): 558–560 2010 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2010.00672.x
- Butler, R (2010). In the Battle to Save Forests, Activists Target Corporations. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. June 2010.
- Butler, R (2010). Amazon Tribes Embrace Technology to Protect their Rainforest Home. GeoWorld Magazine. April 2010
- Ghazoul, J., Koh, L.P., and Butler, R. (in review). A REDD light for wildlife friendly farming. Conservation Biology, Volume 24, No. 3, 644–648.
- Ghazoul, J., Butler, R., Mateo-Vega, J., and Koh, L.P. REDD: a reckoning of environment and development implications. Trends in Ecology and Evolution Vol.25 No.7
- Laurance, W.F., Koh, L.P., Butler, R., Sodhi, N.S., Bradshaw, C.J.A., Neidel, J.D., & Consunji, H. (2009). Improving the Performance of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil for Nature Conservation. Conservation Biology, 24, 377-381
- Koh, L.P. and Butler, R (2010). Can REDD make natural forests competitive with oil palm?. ITTO Tropical Forest Update 19 No 1
- Butler, R. and Koh, L.P. Sharing the burden of producing sustainable biofuels. 12 January 2010
- Butler, R (2010). Madagascar’s Political Chaos Threatens Conservation Gains. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. 4 January 2010
2009
- Butler, R., Koh, L.P., & Mateo-Vega, J., Ghazoul, J. (2009). A Global Opportunity Cost Model.
- Koh, L.P., Ghazoul, J., Butler, R., Laurance, W., Sodhi, N., Mateo-Vega, J., and Bradshaw, C. Wash and Spin Cycle Threats to Tropical Biodiversity. BIOTROPICA: 1–5 2009 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2009.00588.x
- Butler, R (2009). Controlling the Ranching Boom That Threatens the Amazon. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. 10 August 2009
- Butler, R (2009). Big REDD. Washington Monthly. July/August 2009
- Butler, R (2009). With The Clearing Of Forests, Baby Orangutans Are Marooned. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. 25 June 2009
- Koh, L.P., Butler, R., and Bradshaw,C.J. Conversion of Indonesia’s peatlands. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. June 2009. doi: 10.1890/09.WB.013
- Butler, R., Koh, L.P., & Ghazoul, J. (2009). REDD in the red: palm oil could undermine carbon payment schemes. Conservation Letters Conservation Letters 1-7 doi: 10.1111/j.1755-263X.2009.00047.x
- Butler, R. and Laurance, W. (2009) Is oil palm the next emerging threat to the Amazon?. Tropical Conservation Science Vol.2(1):1-10, 2009.
- Butler, R (2009). Satellites and Google Earth prove potent conservation tool. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. 26 March 2009
- Butler, R (2009). Laos Emerges as Key Source In Asia’s Illicit Wildlife Trade. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. 26 February 2009
2008
- Butler, R. and Laurance, W. (2008) New strategies for conserving tropical forests. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. Available online 24 July 2008. doi:10.1016/j.tree.2008.05.006
- Butler, R (2008). Global Commodities Boom Fuels New Assault on Amazon. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. 19 June 2008
- Butler, R (2008). As Rain Forests Disappear, A Market Solution Emerges. Yale Environment 360 (e360). Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. 11 December 2008
- Butler, R (2008) Gold threat to French Guiana paradise. BBC News. 14 May 2008.
2007
- Butler, R (2007) How green is palm oil? The Jakarta Post. 24 September 2007
- Butler, R. and Conway S. (2007) Could peatlands conservation be profitable?. The Jakarta Post. 22 August 2007
- Thoumi, G. and Butler, R. (2007) Carbon credits could be big earner for Indonesia. The Jakarta Post. 28 July 2007