Pioneering Yucatán Environmentalist Joann Andrews Dies at 96

Mérida, Yucatán — Joann M. Andrews, a pioneering environmentalist whose work shaped conservation across the Yucatán Peninsula for more than four decades, died in Mérida on December 22, 2025, at the age of 96 after a brief illness. Born January 10, 1929 in New Haven, Connecticut, she was the daughter of Robert and Margaret MacManus and developed a lifelong commitment to environmental preservation and community engagement.

Andrews graduated with a degree in political science from Columbia University in 1951. She went on to earn a master’s in international economics from Johns Hopkins University before joining the U.S. Foreign Service, where she served for a decade with postings in Africa, including the former Belgian Congo, Senegal and Cameroon. Her diplomatic work in Africa immersed her in international affairs and global development issues long before her deep engagement in environmental work.

In 1964, Andrews moved to Mérida, Yucatán, at the invitation of archaeologist E. Wyllys Andrews IV, whom she married the same year. Andrews IV was known for his work excavating and restoring major ancient Mayan sites, including parts of Dzibilchaltún. After his death in 1971, Andrews made Mérida her permanent home, choosing to raise their family in Mexico rather than return to the United States.

From 1968 to 1973, she managed logistics for the Middle American Research Institute at Tulane University, supporting archaeological research throughout the Peninsula. She later worked as a researcher at Tulane’s Mesoamerican Ecology Institute in Louisiana before fully turning her focus to conservation in the mid‑1980s.

In 1987, Andrews co‑founded Pronatura Península de Yucatán, a regional branch of Pronatura México dedicated to the protection of priority ecosystems across the three states of the Peninsula. Under her leadership, Pronatura became one of the most influential conservation organizations in southern Mexico, advancing programs that protect tropical forests, wetlands, coastal and marine environments, while promoting sustainable development and community‑based stewardship.

Her efforts extended beyond institutional leadership. Andrews was instrumental in establishing the Toh Bird Festival in 2002, one of Mexico’s earliest and longest‑running birdwatching events, which helped position Yucatán as an international destination for ecotourism and bird conservation.

Andrews combined her conservation work with scientific inquiry. She was a noted student of the Peninsula’s botany, especially its orchids, co‑authoring publications such as Listado preliminar y notas sobre la Historia natural de las Orquídeas en la Península de Yucatán with Efraín Gutiérrez, and collaborating with orchid experts like Eric Hágsater to document native species. In 2001, a newly described orchid species was named Lophiaris andrewsiae in her honor.

Her contributions earned her numerous honors, including the Gonzalo Cámara Zavala Medal from Liga de Acción Social in 1997 and recognition from The Nature Conservancy’s New York chapter in 2006. She also received the Presea Prohispen award in 2019 for her cultural and environmental contributions to the region.

Andrews served on the boards of multiple institutions, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Benjamin Franklin Institute in Mérida, and the Patronato Pro Historia Peninsular de Yucatán, and was involved with organizations such as the Asociación para la Equinoterapia. She also founded the Club Hípico del Sureste, reflecting her lifelong passion for horses and their role in community activities.

In recognition of her enduring impact on conservation and binational collaboration, the lobby of the new U.S. Consulate in Mérida was named in her honor.

Outspoken and dedicated, Andrews remained active into her 90s, emphasizing the importance of involving young generations in environmental stewardship. “We work with children, because they really love the environment,” she said in a 2019 interview, highlighting her belief that future progress depended on engaging youth.

She is survived by her six children, numerous grandchildren and great‑grandchildren, and her sister Keys Macmanus. Andrews was cremated, and a memorial gathering with her ashes will be held at Quinta Mary in García Ginerés on December 24, 2025.