Can We Belong to a Forest and Regenerate It?
The answer is a hundred times yes. Instituto Terra Luminous brings a new paradigm of care to keep the forest standing and thriving.
70 km from Brazil’s largest city, São Paulo
Instituto Terra Luminous protects and owns 272 hectares of Atlantic Rainforest: a rare, unbroken stretch untouched by farms or roads.
Nestled in the buffer zone of Serra do Mar State Park
This forest safeguards one of Brazil’s most vital watersheds. Its biodiversity is astonishing, holding more tree species than all of Great Britain!
A group photo of all passionate Brazilians (2012)Restor
Forest protection needs more than laws
Urban expansion keeps pressing in. Instituto Terra Luminous is weaving a path blending economic progress, environmental care, and our bond with nature. Every step is taken with love.
What are the four pillars of regeneration?
(1) Restoring ecosystems,
(2) Engaging communities,
(3) Sharing knowledge, and
(4) Building an economy where the forest is worth more standing than cut down.
The pillars come alive in the Center of Experiences
A space where people reconnect with the forest through agroforestry, environmental education, culture, and ecotourism.
Because regeneration begins with conscious people.
A living research lab
Scientists are monitoring water, fungi, plants, and wildlife in this area. Animals endangered elsewhere are thriving in this pocket of forest.
The data on Restor shows that this land has been deforestation-free since 2001.
Studying the Rainforest Up Close (2012)Restor
Keeping impact transparent and shareable
In 2023, they took it a step further and joined Restor, the largest global community of restoration projects. Technology helps them measure impact, share data, and track change.
The world needs living examples like this: projects that don’t just survive, but thrive, and inspire others to build ecological corridors of their own.
The Instituto Terra Luminous team explain their north star and what they have achieved so far.
Instituto Terra Luminous' bold vision ...
... is to expand to a larger 1,200 hectare area (mapped as the Itariru Green Belt on Restor) by 2027. This expansion brings together new land purchases, state-managed areas, and partnerships with local landowners to secure a thriving buffer zone for biodiversity.
Discover more
Explore Instituto Terra Luminous work on Restor and discover more restoration projects around the world at Restor.
We'd like to thank Fabiana, founder of Instituto Terra Luminous, for long calls and emails to get all the story together. We hope you enjoy it too. For more stories, visit restor.eco.
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