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IMPACT PROMISE
Our Partners are carefully selected due to their high conservation impact
Partner Snapshot
Partner
Instituto Ekos Brasil
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
Category
- Community Support & Development
- Protected Area Management
- Reforestation
Urgent Appeals
Date Founded
2001
Website
Partner Qualifications
About Instituto Ekos Brasil
Instituto Ekos Brasil is a Brazilian non-profit organization with over 20 years of
experience designing and implementing high-impact initiatives for biodiversity
conservation and sustainable development. They bring together technical excellence, deep territorial knowledge, and a strong network of partners to deliver lasting, nature- based solutions.
Their work is rooted in the understanding that conservation and community development are inseparable. Since 2002, they have been active in northern Minas Gerais, in the heart of the Cerrado biome—one of the most biodiverse savannas on the planet and a critical ecosystem for climate regulation and water security in South America.
In the region of the Peruaçu Caves National Park—a site of immense ecological and cultural significance—they supported the development of the park’s management plan and the implementation of key infrastructure. Since 2017, they have maintained a formal cooperation agreement with ICMBio (Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation)—the Brazilian federal agency responsible for managing national parks and other protected areas—to develop and implement projects both within the park and in its surrounding areas. Their initiatives promote sustainable livelihoods, strengthen community engagement, and enhance territorial resilience in a region facing increasing social and environmental pressures.
Since 2020, Ekos has served as the Executive Secretariat of the Sertão Veredas Peruaçu Mosaic, a collaborative platform uniting over 40 institutions. This role enables us to strengthen regional governance and catalyze integrated actions for conservation, climate adaptation, and inclusive development across this strategic portion of the Cerrado.
Their Challenges
The Peruaçu River Basin, in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, is experiencing one of the most severe socio-environmental crises in the country. The region is suffering from soil degradation, advanced erosion, and acute water scarcity.
Classified by Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment as an area susceptible to desertification, the basin is also labeled “highly critical” for water availability by the São Francisco River Basin Plan. Recent scientific studies show that the last four decades were the driest in the past 700 years. These extreme climatic conditions are reducing groundwater recharge and threatening the livelihoods of over 25 traditional communities—including Indigenous groups — quilombolas, veredeiras, and vazanteiras who depend on this landscape for survival.
The degradation is driven by climate change, unregulated land use, and lack of environmental governance. Without urgent intervention, the region faces a future of deepening ecological collapse and social vulnerability.
Their Approach
Instituto Ekos Brasil has worked in the Peruaçu region for nearly 20 years, combining science, local knowledge, and inclusive governance to drive sustainable solutions. Through a formal cooperation agreement with ICMBio, Brazil’s federal agency for protected areas, Ekos supports conservation actions in the Peruaçu Caves National Park and surrounding territories.
Their approach integrates:
• Spring mapping and restoration of degraded water sources
• Community-led conservation and environmental education
• Implementation of social technologies for water access and climate adaptation
• Strengthening of territorial governance, through coordination of over 40 institutions in the Sertão Veredas–Peruaçu Mosaic
They believe lasting change happens when communities are empowered, science guides action, and investments focus on long-term resilience. Their work not only protects biodiversity—it sustains life, culture, and hope in one of Brazil’s most vulnerable regions.
Why They Need Your Help
Your donation helps us respond to the urgent and complex challenges of the Peruaçu River Basin. Despite the region’s ecological and cultural importance, it receives limited national and international investment.
With your support, Instituto Ekos Brasil will:
• Restore degraded springs and riparian areas vital to water security
• Train and mobilize traditional communities to lead restoration and adaptation efforts
• Expand conservation initiatives within and beyond protected areas
• Promote nature-based solutions that regenerate landscapes and protect biodiversity
Each contribution strengthens our ability to act at scale and with integrity. This is not just about protecting a place—it is about securing climate resilience, water access, and social equity in one of Brazil’s most threatened and overlooked territories.