Brazil

Why reforest in Brazil?

The growth of the agriculture industry is the main cause of deforestation in Brazil. Intensive farming techniques cause the soil to quickly wear down, escalate greenhouse gas emissions, and threaten the protection of traditional groups, indigenous people, and Quilombola communities. By reforesting nearly 30,000 hectares (115 sq. miles, 300 sq. kilometers) in the Amazon, the Cerrado, and along the coast we are helping restore ecosystems while creating financial opportunities for surrounding communities.

How we started

We began scouting project sites and recruiting local leaders in 2021. By working directly with traditional groups, indigenous people, Quilombola communities, and local governments, we are restoring Brazil's forests and creating financial opportunities for nearby communities, beginning in the Amazon, Cerrado, and coastal mangrove habitats. Today, our teams have planted millions of native trees, helping conserve and protect indigenous lands.

Where we're working

"Only at Eden": relying on local expertise

The foundation of our Employ to Plant methodology is to work directly with local communities who help us identify restoration sites. At each site, we rely on the expertise of indigenous Brazilian communities who have lived in these areas for sometimes hundreds of years. At our Alcântara planting site in the Amazon, João Maleta is the oldest member of our monitoring team at 83 and brings a lifetime of local wisdom. Growing up in Alcântara, an area where thousands of locals had been displaced in the name of development, João chose to work to restore his home and learned to quickly and accurately identify native tree species and the most effective planting method for each species. With his help, we are planting dozens of native species to help reforest the Amazon rainforest. To learn more about our reforestation work in Brazil, watch our video.

Our progress to date

Across our six project sites in Brazil, our reforestation teams are experts on the details of restoring the specific biome where they work. At our site in Cavalcante, our team has established a Hands in the Dirt Training Center aimed at providing training sessions for leadership multiplication and supporting the growth of our work across Brazil, leading to the hiring of more community members.