Origin and purpose
About Edu Naturalis
Edu Naturalis was born from a clear need: to reduce the distance between scientific knowledge and everyday life, so that families, producers and women from rural and indigenous communities can make informed decisions in the face of the climate and environmental crisis we are experiencing.
For decades, much of the scientific evidence on sustainability, biodiversity and climate change has been confined to academic or technical spaces. Edu Naturalis was created to translate part of this knowledge into practical, accessible and culturally appropriate tools, which can be used in real and diverse contexts.
Edu Naturalis’ work is based on three inseparable pillars: science, traditional knowledge and the ethics of care.
Our work is guided by a clear ethical framework. You can read our Code of Ethics here.
A long-term vision
Edu Naturalis does not propose quick answers or universal solutions. Its purpose is to accompany processes, promote critical thinking and offer tools that allow people to act in an informed and ethical way in their own contexts.
We believe that tackling the climate crisis requires more than technology or data: it requires responsibility, care for each other, and a distinct relationship with nature and each other.
Hello, I am Zinnia
I work alongside families, women, and local producers to take practical, positive action for the planet — through tools and partnerships that equip people to protect nature, empower rural and Indigenous women, strengthen livelihoods, build community resilience, and restore the social fabric.
I carry stories I can’t set down: a horse rotting in a rainwater reservoir—the only water source a community had to drink; a friend in Kenya who lost her son because life-saving medicine was out of reach; women walking for hours under the sun with sacks of charcoal, only to be turned away and return home empty-handed. What breaks me isn’t only poverty, pollution, or extinction—it’s how easily we normalize them.
I was born in Mexico’s semi-arid lands—places rich in wisdom yet often ignored. Years of listening to women hauling unsafe water, to children without medicine, and to producers priced out of their own harvests made my purpose clear: to use my experience and knowledge to generate social and ecological impact, applied with respect, care and ethical responsibility. This is my path.
How it all started….
My journey began with the quiet, powerful lessons of my parents—two resilient people who taught me that when doors don’t exist, we build them. Edu Naturalis began as a promise to turn that lesson into action: to be a practical bridge between households, women, and producers—so care becomes work, and work becomes change, now, while the window is still open. After years of listening in the field, this is who I stand with—and why.
For families and individuals
Many of us carry a steady worry for the planet and the future. We want choices that actually help—without greenwashing, guilt, or “perfect” standards no one can sustain. Time and money are finite; what helps are honest, practical tools we can start today, share with others, and feel proud of—because everyday actions at home shape tomorrow.
For women in rural and Indigenous communities
Many of them see how hours can disappear fetching water that isn’t safe; work is scarce; food runs short; power at home is often unequal and safety uncertain. It is devastating to watch children miss school or go without medicine. What helps are tools that fit the day to day and their language, that respect their traditional knowledge and their privacy, tools that open dignified ways to learn, lead, and earn—without having to leave their communities.
For producers
They observe how drought and volatile prices combine with a maze of paperwork, permits, shifting requirements—and, too often, officials who treat them with arrogance. What helps are clear steps, fair buyers, simple value-add options, and a path that honours the stewardship of land and seed.
This is why Edu Naturalis exists: to turn concern into practical, positive action—to move knowledge, income, and respect in the right direction; to strengthen livelihoods; to raise women’s leadership; and to protect what can still be saved. Time is short. It isn’t over. Let’s not allow the future to be a copy of this present.
Everyday work that takes hours, collecting fuel and water, reduces time for rest, school, and paid work.
Why it matters…
Every day, our choices — what we buy, eat, and throw away — shape the world around us. Yet behind those choices lie stories we rarely see: exhausted soils, polluted rivers, lost traditions, and families pushed to the margins.
Consumerism has taught us to live fast and forget what connects us. It’s not our fault — the system was built that way — but once we begin to see the hidden costs, we can no longer unsee them.
Edu Naturalis exists to help families, women, and producers find a different path: one where care replaces convenience, where small acts of awareness ripple outward, and where living well no longer means living at the planet’s expense.
What we offer
Practical tools and opportunities for change — from eco-action planners for families, to skills programs for women, to fair-market support for local producers.
Our vision
A world where ecosystems are protected, women lead with strength, and producers are valued — so the next generations inherit not just a planet that sustains them, but a future filled with dignity, justice, and possibility.
Get involved
Change starts with you. Whether it’s taking action at home, sharing your skills, or standing with communities on the frontlines of environmental change — your voice and your hands matter. Join us today.
Roots that shaped my work...
- I grew up chasing desert rain puddles; that’s where my love for plants began.
- In 2019 I founded Proyecto Mezquite because complex problems need transdisciplinary, collective action.
- Communities have been my teachers; I try to listen before I build.
- I’m mum to a paleontologist-in-the-making who keeps me brave and grounded.
- I once ran the London Marathon and several halves — long work requires long breath.
Some recognitions about my work...
- I’m a biologist with an MSc in Agricultural Sciences and a PhD in Plant Sciences. Over 25 years in academia I’ve researched, taught, mentored 50+ students, and co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed research papers.
- Early on, study opened doors: at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL) I received Academic Merit and Mexico’s “Best Student” recognition (1992).
- My MSc thesis at Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM) earned the Rómulo Garza Sada Award; later, during my PhD at the University of Nottingham, I received the Irene Manton Award from the Society for Experimental Biology (UK, 1999).
- In 2019 I founded Proyecto Mezquite, whose impact has been recognised by the University of Nottingham and by Research England/GCRF (2019, 2021, 2024).
- Recent honours include : the “Mexicanos Distinguidos” Medal (Government of Mexico, 2023), conferred by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Institute for Mexicans Abroad—presented by Ambassador Josefa González-Blanco Ortiz-Mena—recognising my environmental work and service with rural and Indigenous communities in arid and semi-arid regions of Mexico and Kenya; and the Mujer Tec Award (Environment, 2025) for advancing women’s leadership and environmental action in drylands (2025).
- I’m frequently invited to speak at international conferences and universities, around the world.
- My work has also been featured on international platforms such as BBC CrowdScience, where I was invited to discuss ecosystems, traditional knowledge, and the science behind sustainable living (2025).
How can I help you?
What’s getting in your way, and what resources would be most useful for you? Please send me an email or a direct message on Instagram.