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  • Celebrating the Atlantic Forest and Mountain Culture in the Heart of Nova Friburgo: Agroforestry, Environmental Education, Volunteering and Adventure Sports

    Celebrating the Atlantic Forest and Mountain Culture in the Heart of Nova Friburgo: Agroforestry, Environmental Education, Volunteering and Adventure Sports

    [vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1739379399395{margin-right: 30px !important;margin-left: 30px !important;}”][vc_column][gap size=”30px” id=”” class=”” style=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1740408802641{margin-right: 30px !important;margin-left: 30px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][swmsc_text_block id=”” class=”” style=””]Is it possible to connect Agroforestry, Environmental Education, Volunteering and Adventure Sports? Read this article and find out if so!

    The month of May invites us to take a closer look at one of Brazil’s greatest natural treasures: the Atlantic Forest. On May 27, we celebrate National Atlantic Forest Day — more than just a tribute, this date is a call for awareness and collective action for the preservation and regeneration of nature that still survives among the mountains of southeastern Brazil.

    And if there’s one place where this call is taken seriously, it’s at Eco Caminhos, our ecofarm located in the mountainous region of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro.

    🌿 A Living Forest That Needs Care

    The Atlantic Forest is home to around 72% of Brazil’s population and has already lost over 85% of its original vegetation. Even so, it remains one of the most biodiverse biomes in the world, with unique species of fauna and flora. Nova Friburgo is part of this ecosystem and therefore demands special attention.

    Preserving what’s left and restoring what’s been lost requires practical action, ecological education, and a new perspective on how we produce, consume, and live. At Eco Caminhos, we practice active environmental regeneration through agroforestry systems that mimic the natural functioning of forests, eco-friendly bioconstruction using local materials, and permaculture as both a philosophy and a lifestyle.[/swmsc_text_block][gap size=”30px” id=”” class=”” style=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][swmsc_image_gallery border_radius=”0″ border_width=”0″ border_color=”#e6e6e6″ image_margin=”40px” image_size=”full” columns=”1″ grid_type=”masonry” image_text=”none” hover_icon_color=”#ffffff” hover_icon_bg_color=”#f8b54e” title_text_size=”20px” title_text_color=”#555555″ caption_text_size=”16px” caption_text_color=”#777777″ caption_border=”off” id=”” class=”” style=”” image_ids=”27340,27339″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1739379399395{margin-right: 30px !important;margin-left: 30px !important;}”][vc_column][swmsc_image_gallery border_radius=”5px” border_width=”0″ border_color=”#e6e6e6″ image_margin=”20px” image_size=”full” columns=”3″ grid_type=”none” image_text=”none” hover_icon_color=”#ffffff” hover_icon_bg_color=”#f8b54e” title_text_size=”20px” title_text_color=”#555555″ caption_text_size=”16px” caption_text_color=”#777777″ caption_border=”off” id=”” class=”” style=””][gap size=”30px” id=”” class=”” style=””][swmsc_text_block id=”” class=”” style=””]🌱 Eco Caminhos: Environmental Regeneration and Social Transformation

    Caring for the Atlantic Forest is not a campaign — it’s our daily routine. At our farm, we don’t just admire the forest — we work daily to regenerate it.

    We are an ecofarm founded on permaculture principles, nestled in the mountains of Nova Friburgo. Here, we live and promote an integrated approach to sustainability that includes:

    Our work goes beyond the land: we positively impact the local community, promoting social inclusion, environmental education, and offering opportunities for youth and adults to reconnect with nature in a practical and transformative way.[/swmsc_text_block][swmsc_image_gallery border_radius=”0px” border_width=”0″ border_color=”#e6e6e6″ image_margin=”20px” image_size=”full” columns=”2″ grid_type=”masonry” image_text=”none” hover_icon_color=”#ffffff” hover_icon_bg_color=”#f8b54e” title_text_size=”20px” title_text_color=”#555555″ caption_text_size=”16px” caption_text_color=”#777777″ caption_border=”off” id=”” class=”” style=”” image_ids=”27341,27343,27344,26962″][gap size=”30px” id=”” class=”” style=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1739379399395{margin-right: 30px !important;margin-left: 30px !important;}”][vc_column][swmsc_image_gallery border_radius=”5px” border_width=”0″ border_color=”#e6e6e6″ image_margin=”20px” image_size=”full” columns=”3″ grid_type=”none” image_text=”none” hover_icon_color=”#ffffff” hover_icon_bg_color=”#f8b54e” title_text_size=”20px” title_text_color=”#555555″ caption_text_size=”16px” caption_text_color=”#777777″ caption_border=”off” id=”” class=”” style=””][gap size=”30px” id=”” class=”” style=””][swmsc_text_block id=”” class=”” style=””]🏔️ Free Mountain Festival: Sports, Culture, and Nature in Harmony

    This year, the Free Mountain Festival added even more meaning to May. Held at Espaço ARP and in the mountains of Nova Friburgo, the event celebrates outdoor life and mountain culture with activities like trekking, climbing, trail running, along with environmental talks, cultural exhibitions, and open-air cinema.

    More than a sporting event, the Free Mountain Festival proved that it’s possible to combine adventure, art, culture, and environmental responsibility — creating experiences that both inspire and raise awareness.

    Eco Caminhos strongly believes in this type of initiative. Seeing so many people connect with nature and exchange knowledge reinforces our belief that change is already underway — and can gain even more strength through unity and purpose.

    Check out the event website: https://freemountain.com.br/[/swmsc_text_block][swmsc_image_gallery border_radius=”0px” border_width=”0″ border_color=”#e6e6e6″ image_margin=”20px” image_size=”full” columns=”2″ grid_type=”masonry” image_text=”none” hover_icon_color=”#ffffff” hover_icon_bg_color=”#f8b54e” title_text_size=”20px” title_text_color=”#555555″ caption_text_size=”16px” caption_text_color=”#777777″ caption_border=”off” id=”” class=”” style=”” image_ids=”27345,27346″][gap size=”30px” id=”” class=”” style=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1740408854358{margin-right: 30px !important;margin-left: 30px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1740579636539{margin-right: 100px !important;padding-right: 50px !important;}”][gap size=”30px” id=”” class=”” style=””][gap size=”30px” id=”” class=”” style=””][swmsc_image link=”#” lightbox=”true” target=”_self” lightbox_type=”image” align=”left” alt=”” title=”” border_radius=”0px” id=”” class=”” style=”” src=”27342″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][gap size=”30px” id=”” class=”” style=””][swmsc_text_block id=”” class=”” style=””]🌍 Sustainability in Practice: Our Local and Global Role

    Eco Caminhos is a space for ecological and social transformation. We welcome volunteers, apprentices, and tourists from all over the world who come to learn, teach, and live a new way of connecting with the Earth. By regenerating the soil, planting trees, building homes with earth, and living in community, we are writing a new narrative for the planet — and it starts here, in the Atlantic Forest.

    We believe that preservation doesn’t happen alone. It takes partnerships, events, education, and the active presence of the community. That’s why we celebrate every movement that values our mountains, our forest, and our mountain culture.[/swmsc_text_block][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1731520578623{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][gap size=”30px” id=”” class=”” style=””][swmsc_text_block id=”” class=”” style=””]🤝 The Future Depends on Our Choices

    The Atlantic Forest needs more than protection — it needs engaged, connected people willing to change the way they live. That’s what we seek at Eco Caminhos. And that’s why every visit, every festival, every volunteer, and every tree planted matters.

    If you believe in this path, come visit us. Join us as a volunteer, apprentice, or guest. Help regenerate the forest and build a fairer, more sustainable, and nature-connected future.
    🌐 www.zieplay.com[/swmsc_text_block][vc_single_image image=”27074″ img_size=”large” css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • A New Path to Lasting Impact: Strengthening Small Regenerative Organizations

    A New Path to Lasting Impact: Strengthening Small Regenerative Organizations

    Why a New Path Is Urgently Needed

    In today’s increasingly self-centered and fragmented world, regenerative organizations offer a powerful response to the climate crisis, rural youth exodus, and growing social inequality. Despite macroeconomic improvements, many young adults in urban areas still face high unemployment and informal jobs, with few real opportunities for personal and professional growth.

    A urbanização do Brasil e a relação com a densidade demográfica

     

    According to the Conexão Escola portal, Brazil’s urbanization process is closely tied to population density and has led to a significant rural exodus. From 2010 to 2022, Brazil’s rural population declined from 15.6% to 12.6%, while the urban population rose from 84.4% to 87.4%. This trend illustrates not only a territorial shift, but also the forced displacement of rural communities due to lack of opportunities, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen regenerative organizations in rural areas.

     

    This is where Eco Caminhos and the Ecolibrium Association step in. Based in Nova Friburgo, Brazil, they are pioneering a model that harmoniously integrates ecological, social, and commercial dimensions—proving that it is possible to regenerate the land while also empowering people and building financially sustainable systems.

    (more…)

  • Taioba: The Green Treasure of Agroforestry

    Taioba: The Green Treasure of Agroforestry

    Taioba, a leafy green native to South America, is a key player here at Eco Caminhos farm due to its health benefits and usefulness within agroforestry. This plant can be found in kitchens across Brazil, Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago. In this article, we will explore the wonders of taioba, from its ecological role to its culinary applications.

     

    taioba leaves in a crate with natural cob walls in the backgroung

     

    Taioba and the Agroforestry System

    Taioba (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) serves various functions within agroforestry systems. Amidst the diversity of plants, taioba not only thrives, but also helps maintain soil moisture and protect against erosion, thanks to its large leaves. Taioba leaves act as a living mulch, helping to keep the soil fluffy and moist. This characteristic is essential for protecting tree roots and providing shade for small coffee seedlings, creating a more favorable environment for their initial development.  Its presence contributes significantly to the health of the ecosystem, promoting biological diversity and agricultural sustainability.

    In the pictures to the right you can see our agroforestry systems (SAF) at different stages. In the newly planted SAF (left), it is easy to see how taioba creates shade for the coffee seedling below. The more mature SAF (right) shows inhame which serves a similar role as the taioba amongst a larger diversity of more mature plants. Be warned that the inhame leaf, while similar in appearance and function within agroforestry to the taioba, is not safe for consumption; however, inhame root is edible and delicious. 

    agroforestry system with inga, banana, taioba, and coffee
    See how taioba interacts with other plants in a five month old agroforestry system
    a mature agroforestry system with eucalyptus, banana, inhame, lemongrass, and coffee. Developed using permaculture systems
    The inhame plays a similar role to taioba here in this mature agroforestry system

     

     

    Health Benefits & Preparation

    In addition to its functions within an agroforestry system, taioba is a rich source of essential nutrients. Rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron, taioba offers significant health benefits, including strengthening the immune system, promoting eye health and maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Furthermore, its low calories make it an excellent food to include in balanced diets.

    However, taioba requires proper preparation because it contains oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is also found in foods like spinach and other leafy green vegetables. When consumed in large quantities, oxalic acid can cause irritation to the mucous membranes. Proper preparation of taioba, mainly through cooking, nullifies these adverse effects, making it safe for consumption. Traditionally taioba leaves are consumed cooked in stews, soups, or pies. When cooked, this leafy green has a mild and pleasant flavor.

     

    Taioba Refogada (Stir-fry) Recipe

    Ingredients:

    • 1 bunch of taioba (1o leaves)
    • 2 cloves of garlic
    • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
    • Salt to taste

    Steps:

    1. Wash the leaves well under running water to remove any dirt or residue.
    2. Remove the stalk and cut into strips or pieces.

    3. Saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant.
    4. Add in the taioba and salt to taste.
    5. Stir occasionally, until the taioba has reduced to about half of its original volume.
    6. After the taioba has reduced to 50% of its original volume, turn the heat to low.
    7.  When the taioba has cooked down to a texture reminiscent of cooked spinach, it’s ready to serve and enjoy!