Leadership and Contribution of Kerstin Forsberg: A Detailed Analysis

This report provides a detailed analysis of Kerstin Forsberg's leadership and her significant contributions to marine conservation. It examines her journey from a childhood passion for environmental conservation to becoming a social entrepreneur and founder of Planeta Océano, an NGO focused o...Read More

Running Head: LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
Kerstin Forsberg:
Kerstin Forsberg was passionate about environmental conservation since her childhood.,
as she has realized that, if the existing generation destroys the biodiversity for the purpose of
utilizing natural resources -water, natural fuels, air, trees, to their fullest extent without
considering the matter sustainability, and conservation of the environment, then the
destruction of the bio-diversity in forest marine and all other places, will hinder the growth
and development related to the research regarding to the medical discoveries, economic
advancement adaptive response of the human being in responses thrown by the climate. The
future generation will suffer from the scarcity of the natural resources, essential for the
existence of mankind. As a result of all these, she and engaged herself with activities to
regarding environmental conservation. Naturally this reflected in her selection of the stream
for studying, when she became a conservation biologist. She participated in several marine
conservation programs and campaigns1. Finally, she turned into a social entrepreneur. She has
also contributed to several research, educational and awareness generation activities in the
same field. She is also known as ‘marine campaigner’ for her significant initiatives for
marine conservation. In the year 2011 she was nominated for Ashoka fellowship2. Ashoka is
one of the world’s popular field-defining associations, which provide social entrepreneurs
life-time Fellowship, so that the activities of the social entrepreneurs can be generated and
1ashoka.org. "Kerstin Forsberg". Ashoka | Everyone a Changemaker, 2019. Online. Internet. 28 Jun. 2019. .
Available: https://www.ashoka.org/en-gb/fellow/kerstin-forsberg.
2 Rolex.Org. "Gentle giant of the ocean - Rolex Awards". rolex.org, 2019. Online. Internet. 28 Jun. 2019. .
Available: https://www.rolex.org/rolex-awards/environment/kerstin-forsberg.

2LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
people all over the world can be educated about the importance and initiatives of environment
as well as biodiversity conservation.
Kerstin Forsberg’s works as leader:
In her biography, Kerstin Forsberg has told how she used to be the leader in schools
during environmental science campaigns and projects. Her love for nature was evident, when
she set up her own zoo club at the age of 9. As she grew up her love for nature especially for
the marine diversity grew stronger. She started believing that there is life at every single drop
of the ocean water. It was her love for protecting marine diversity, which boosted her to
establish Planeta Océano in the year 2007.
Planeta Océano is basically an NGO that aims to conserve as well as re-establish
coastal as well as marine environments. The marine conservation initiative of Planeta Océano
is focused on Peru. This organization promotes as well as develops researches, fosters
innovation in determining better ways to conserve the marine animals. This organization also
aids in the generation of environmental education as well as awareness, among the
communiti3.
Kerstin Forsberg leads Planeta Océano in its activities of making the
communities aware of the importance of environmental conservation. Under the leadership of
Kerstin Forsberg, this organization fosters the engagement of the stakeholders in its
environmental conservation programs. Again, Kerstin Forsberg, leads her dream organization
to encourage community participation in the initiatives taken by the organization to conserve
the marine diversity. Currently, Kerstin Forsberg’s objective is to work on projects that
3 Rolex.Org. "Gentle giant of the ocean - Rolex Awards". rolex.org, 2019. Online. Internet. 28 Jun. 2019. .
Available: https://www.rolex.org/rolex-awards/environment/kerstin-forsberg.

3LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
attempts to empower Ecotourism as well as Awareness for the conservation of manta ray in
northern Peru.
The prudent and fruitful leadership of Kerstin Forsberg, resulted into her recognition
as the “30 under 30 Social Entrepreneur” list prepared by Forbes. As a result of several
conservation initiatives adopted by Planeta Océano, under the leadership of Kerstin Forsberg,
Planeta Océano, have received several awards and recognitions like the WWF International
President’s Award and also Peruvian National Environmental Citizenship Award, recognition
as the Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum, by Ashoka.
Apart from her significant contribution in the marine water as well as biodiversity
conservation, she has also taken the initiative to train young children with love and potential
for environmental conservation, so that they become skilled enough to be able to think as
well as implement innovative scientific ideas for conserving the marine biodiversity. In order
to fulfil this objective Kerstin visits schools, conducts environmental campaigns awareness
programs for school students and also make provision for online platform so that school
children can be trained through fruitful interaction and can share their concern, thought as
well as innovative ideas to conserve the environment4.
The qualities which made her a leader:
A proper definition of leadership, provided by several experts, will be helpful to find
out the attributes, qualities in Kerstin Forsberg, which have made her a successful leader as
well as one of the pioneers of marine conservation activities. According to Nahavandi (1997),
4 Whitley Award. "Majestic giants: safe passage for manta rays | Whitley Award". Whitley Award, 2019. Online.
Internet. 28 Jun. 2019. . Available: https://whitleyaward.org/winners/majestic-giants-safe-passage-for-manta-
rays/.

4LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
leadership can be considered as a social phenomenon, which enables the initiation of a proper
structure within a group or an organization. This structure impose through the procedure of
leadership can be used as an instruments to achieve the goals as well as objectives of that
group or organization5. Experts like Green (2002), thinks that leadership signifies effective
communication which is capable of casting upon interpersonal influence. Again there are
experts like Greenleaf (1998), who consider that, leadership signifies directing a group of
people towards perfection, through a course of action required to achieve certain goals. All
these definition of leadership signifies that, leader should be the person who can educate the
employees or subordinates motivate this or her subordinates in such a way, so that they are
able to understand the individual as well as the organizational goals and enhance their
productivity accordingly6.
This is what Kerstin Forsberg’s has done. Firstly she has educated, the employees of
her organization named Planeta Océano, about the importance of conserving marine
diversity, how it adds to the natural life cycle of human beings too; and what may be the
consequences of marine or ocean pollution, how it can affect the natural low of lives of the
marine animals, and other lives on earth. Secondly, she has elaborated the initiatives that
should be taken to conserve marine bio-diversity, to the employees, assistances, or the school
students who participate in the environmental conservation programs conducted by Planeta
Océano, through offline as well as online modes. Thirdly, she has encouraged co-workers as
well as subordinates, young participants, school children, to develop innovative ideas, so that
they are able to assist her in fulfilling her aim of conserving the marine diversity, specially
5 Nahavandi, Afsaneh. The art and science of leadership. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997.
6 Goleman, Daniel. "Leadership that gets results." Harvard business review 78.2 (2000): 4-17.

5LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
conserving the species living in ocean, which are on the way to extinction. Apart from
educating participants, and people of the communities in the coastal areas in Peru Kerstin
Forsberg, has also made provision for the online participation of the enthusiasts like students
from other countries and youths studying environmental science. Thus she has been
successful to educate people, motivate them, and unite them to combat the issues of marine
biodiversity, consolidate the enthusiasts all over the world by enabling online and offline
participation7. As a result she is able to conduct impactful programs and make necessary
changes to protect marine pollution that occur due to oil spill, and conserve species that are
way to extinction, like Giant manta in Peru. Hence, her quality to influence people, unite
them and encourage them to be united and try innovation, her ability to cast upon significant
impact even on the reluctant people of the communities in Peru, have made her a successful
leader8.
Opposition she faced initially:
The opposition as well as obstacles faced by Kerstin Forsberg, when she
attempted to protect Giant Manta, one of the unique marine species, which are in the
way to extinction. This is because a large chain of business has been developed
surrounding the sale and purchase of Giant Manta. Giant Manta is one of the most
beautiful marine vertebrates alive on earth till now. The shape of Giant Manta is
similar to that of the diamonds, their wings are large. Giant Manta doe not only add to
7 Earthwatch.org. Earthwatch.org, 2019. Online. Internet. 28 Jun. 2019. . Available:
https://earthwatch.org/Scientific-Research/Our-Scientists/Kerstin-Forsberg.
8 Rafferty, Alannah E., and Mark A. Griffin. "Dimensions of transformational leadership: Conceptual and
empirical extensions." The leadership quarterly 15.3 (2004): 329-354.

6LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
the beauty and diversity of marine life, but also has a significant role to play, in the
marine ecosystem. They are one of the unique marine vertebrates, but, since the last
two decades, the number of Giant manta has been decreased drastically. The reason
behind the sharp decline in the population of Giant Manta ray is overfishing, as Giant
manta is considered to be one of the most delicious sea foods, because of its delicious
meat and gill plates. Again, due to the increasing demand for Giant Manta Ray as
popular sea foods, farmer in the communities of Peru, incur a huge profit by catching
Giant manta rays and selling them to the mediating persons, at a high cost, who again,
sell them to the restaurants and shops at an induced price for the aim of receiving a
large amount of profits9.
The business cycle has been developed regarding the fishing as well as selling
of Giant Manta, which actually reducing, the population of Giant manta Rays, not
only in the coastal areas of Peru, but also in the Indo-Pacific as well as the Caribbean
Sea areas and creating imbalance in the marine eco-syst6em as well. After observing
this, Kerstin Forsberg attempted to prevent the killing of Giant Manta, but faced
obstacles, from the farmers of the communities of Peru. They objected that, they earn
their livelihood depending on the sale of Giant Manta, one of the moist popular sea
foods within and outside Peru. According to them, the revenue earned by selling
Giant Manta consists of substantial parts of the revenue from fishing and cultivation
of sea fishes. If the sale as well as the cultivation of Giant manta is banned, several
lives at the coastal areas of Peru will be affected. If this issue is observed from a
broader perspective, it can be realized that, the banning of the fishing and cultivation
as well as sell of Giant Manta will also affect the mediating person with the help of
9 YouTube. "Kerstin Forsberg: Manta Ray Conservation in Peru". YouTube, 2019. Online. Internet. 28 Jun.
2019. . Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxc-9XClzrQ.

7LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
whom Giant Manta reaches the market, shops as well as restaurants. The mediating
persons will in turn pressurize the fishermen and farmers to cover up for their losses
for not catching Giant Manta, which is almost impossible due to the decline in the
amount of sea fishes. Hence, farmers will receive financial as well as mental pressure,
if fishing and selling of Giant Manta is banned10. This is the reasons the farmers were
reluctant to listen to the words of Kerstin. Rather, they started revolting and did not
cooperate with Kerstin initially, when she took the initiative for conducting
campaigns for saving the lives of Giant manta in the coastal areas of Peru. Hence,
non-cooperation, protest rigidity, lack of education and understanding from the parts
of the farmers as well as the mediators created several challenges in Kerstin’s ways of
achieving her goal-stop the killing of Giant manta Rays. The farmers as well as
mediators, also started uniting and forming groups to carry on their protest against
Kerstin, so that their only ways to earn substantial profits and improve standard of
living do not get ceased.
How she empowered everyone:
Kerstin realised that, enlightening and empowering the people of the communities at
the coastal areas of Peru, including the farmers; is important for fulfilling her aim to protect
Giant Manta. This will help the farmers understand the necessity to protect Giant Manta.
Again, as putting a ban in the sale of Giant Manta will cease the way, through which they
used to receive a substantial part of their earnings. This made her realize that, it is essential to
provide them options for empowerment other than catching Giant Manta. For the purpose f
10 Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. "National Center for Biotechnology Information". Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, 2019. Online.
Internet. 28 Jun. 2019. . Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

8LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
educating and empowering farmers as well as other people related to this business, Kerstin
Forsberg has taken the in initiative to educate the farmers indulged in the fishing of Giant
Manta, about the impact of a substantial reduction in the population of these unique
vertebrates alive on earth. In her course of making the farmers aware of the negative impacts
of overfishing of Giant Manta, she has demonstrated them about the ecosystem as well as
marine life cycle She has also elaborated the overall impact of killing giant Manta on the eco-
systems on earth, with reference to the dependency of the human beings on the eco system.
Kerstin Forsberg has empowered the farmers, mediators as well as other
people from the communities of the coastal areas of Peru, by making them aware of the
loopholes of farming. According to her research, if the limitations in techniques and methods
of farming can be removed, the farmers will be able to cover up for the losses may incur due
to the banning of the catching, sell or cultivation of Giant manta. The agricultural sector of
Peru cannot generate the expected levels of revenues in spite of having full potentiality. For
example she talked about integrated farming. The farming in Peru are diversified, which
needs to be integrated, for instance, if the coastal areas of Peru consist of the type of soil most
suitable for producing avocado, maize, Mashua and purple corn. Then most of the farmers
should aim to enhance their revenue by specializing in the production of avocado, maize,
mashua and purple corn only, as trying other vegetables in the soil consisting of the
potentiality of avocado, maize, Mashua and purple corn cultivation, will be decrease the
productivity of the soil, leading to a substantial decrease in the revenue as well.
She also empowered the farmers for elaborating
them the methods through, which they will be able to solve irrigation problem. This will
again help in the production of other vegetables in the coastal desert lowlands of Peru. In
other words, this will facilitate in the irrigation of other crops in the coastal desert lowlands

9LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
area, for example, cotton, soybeans, pulses, sugar, rice, fruits, and tobacco. In this context,
she has emphasized on the adoption of advanced techniques so that sufficient irrigation in the
agricultural fields of coastal desert lowlands can be ensured and also the farmers will be able
to cover up for the losses may incur due to the banning of the catching, sell or cultivation of
Giant manta. Thus she has been successful to educate as well as empower people of the
coastal areas of Peru, motivate them, and unite them to combat the issues of marine
biodiversity, convince the farmers to stop catching Giant Manta.
In the conclusion, it can be said that, Kerstin Forsberg, has taken the venture to empower
people of the coastal areas of Peru, make them aware of several ways to earn their livelihood,
other than catching Giant Manta. The impactful programs conducted by Kerstin Forsberg
were able to convince the farmers as well as the mediators, to support the ban on catching
Giant Manta and Peru has become the twelfth country in the world to ban the fishing of Giant
Manta Ray. Hence, the leadership of Kerstin Forsberg proved efficient and successful to
bring necessary changes to protect marine eco-system from the harm that causes due to oil
spill and overfishing of species, which are in the way to extinction. Hence, it can be said that,
Kerstin’s ability to cast upon significant influence even on the reluctant people of the
communities in Peru to stop Manta fishing , her positive attitude and determination to
generate awareness to enthusiasts of all age, her motivation to young participants and hard
work have made her a successful leader.

10LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION OF KERSTIN FORSBERG
References
Nahavandi, Afsaneh. The art and science of leadership. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice
Hall, 1997.
Goleman, Daniel. "Leadership that gets results." Harvard business review 78.2 (2000): 4-17.
Rafferty, Alannah E., and Mark A. Griffin. "Dimensions of transformational leadership:
Conceptual and empirical extensions." The leadership quarterly 15.3 (2004): 329-354.
ashoka.org. "Kerstin Forsberg". Ashoka | Everyone a Changemaker, 2019. Online. Internet.
28 Jun. 2019. . Available: https://www.ashoka.org/en-gb/fellow/kerstin-forsberg.
YouTube. "Kerstin Forsberg: Manta Ray Conservation in Peru". YouTube, 2019. Online. Internet. 28
Jun. 2019. . Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxc-9XClzrQ.
Rolex.Org. "Gentle giant of the ocean - Rolex Awards". rolex.org, 2019. Online. Internet. 28 Jun.
2019. . Available: https://www.rolex.org/rolex-awards/environment/kerstin-forsberg.
Whitley Award. "Majestic giants: safe passage for manta rays | Whitley Award". Whitley
Award, 2019. Online. Internet. 28 Jun. 2019. . Available:
https://whitleyaward.org/winners/majestic-giants-safe-passage-for-manta-rays/.
Earthwatch.org. Earthwatch.org, 2019. Online. Internet. 28 Jun. 2019. . Available:
https://earthwatch.org/Scientific-Research/Our-Scientists/Kerstin-Forsberg.
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. "National Center for Biotechnology Information". Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, 2019.
Online. Internet. 28 Jun. 2019. . Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.