One of the oldest trees at Instituto Terra


Seedlings growing in our nursery


Children planting at Instituto Terra


Trees planted as seedlings 9 years ago in one of the first planting seasons


Instituto Terra is the largest employer in Aimores, Brazil

Environment

• Instituto Terra constitutes 1,505 acres and is the largest reforestation effort in the Atlantic Forest.
• The 1st planting season at Instituto Terra was in 1999. Since 1999, over 162 bird species and over 25 mammal species have returned to the area. An estimated 60% of these are considered endangered. Every two years Instituto Terra produces a complete catalog of every animal and plant that lives at the Institute.
• Instituto Terra raises and plants seedlings from its collection of 293 native species (of the Atlantic Forest) indigenous to the Atlantic Forest. These seeds can take between 8 months to 2 years before they are ready for planting.
• On any given year, over 100 native species of the 293 species of tree seedlings are planted. This works out to approximately 2,500 new trees per hectare.

Education

• For one week each month, over 375 children from 16 different public and private schools come to Instituto Terra to learn about reforestation, environment protection, recycling, water conservation, and all about the animals and plants at the Institute. Classes are taught both in the classroom and in the field.
• Instituto Terra partners with more than 60 organizations around the world. This includes schools and universities in Brazil and the United States who send students to study and conduct research at the Institute.
• Each year, Instituto Terra selects 10 Brazilian students from the states of Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo to live at the Institute for two years and study reforestation and environmental recovery. These students often come from families of peasants and Instituto Terra provides everything from room and board to books.

Economy

• Every employee is paid a wage above the national minimum wage (which is equal to US$175 per month). Considering 75% of people in Aimorés are paid a minimum wage or less, the economic contribution of the Institute is substantial to the community.
• The employees who make less than $1,000 Reais get a monthly Basket of Basics to help with basic food items.
• The cattle industry is the largest industry in the area, with the average farmer making approximately $270 Reais/hectare per year.
• Instituto Terra is developing a system which would pay farmers $10 per tree to reforest 20% of their land. The program could generate quite a bit more income than the average farmer currently makes annually.