Young EcoLeaders of the Brazilian Rainforest

Hello everyone! We hope you are well! 

First of all we want to thank you for supporting our forest restoration. We would like to share with you some hot news that happened in Iracambi in the last few days. Happy reading, and have a great week!

Discover the magic of our nursery, where Atlantic Forest seedlings are planted

Every forest begins with a seed. In celebration of Arbor Day, September 21, we bring you a series of videos about the Iracambi Nursery, where the “jewels” collected from the forest are stored, weighed, catalogued, germinated, cared for, and then replanted in reforestation projects.

The seeds are affectionately called “jewels” because they are precious objects that carry life to perpetuate the native Atlantic Forest species that will be used in our projects, such as Forests for Water.

The nursery is full of life and energy. If you’ve ever had the chance to be here, you know what it’s like to feel the magic of the place. Between 2020 and 2023, the Iracambi Nursery will produce 82,400 seedlings of 52 native tree species.

This work is essential to perpetuate these species, which are essential for the conservation and biodiversity of the forest. To give you an idea of the importance of this work, it’s worth remembering that Iracambi is part of the Trinational Pact for the Restoration of the Atlantic Forest, made up of some 300 institutions from Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.

The project, which was named a World Restoration Reference by the United Nations (UN) last December, aims to restore 15 million hectares of the Atlantic Forest by 2050.

Pretty cool, right? So play along and check out a little bit of our work with coordinator Juliana Vital.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAJLMmguzoW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Bush dog reintegrated into nature in Iracambi

Hit play and check out the EcoRioMinas coordinated bush dog rehabilitation effort that took place here in Iracambi. The animal was quickly rescued by the company concessionaire of the BR-116 highway and sent to the CTV Veterinary Clinic in Muriaé (MG) for 22 days of treatment and rehabilitation.

Fully recovered after treatment, the canid was transferred to our NGO on August 20, when teams from EcoRioMinas, the clinic and Iracambi accompanied its release into the forest.

The animal joins other individuals of its species in our area of the Atlantic Forest, which have already been identified by the surveillance cameras installed in the forest. 

EcoRioMinas and the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) emphasize their commitment to the conservation of wildlife and the reduction of accidents involving animals on highways.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_iqHHjuygG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Two saruá monkeys are photographed near the Iracambi headquarters

We would like to share these beautiful photos of a pair of Guigó-mascarado or black-faced saruá monkeys (scientific name: Callicebus nigrifrons).

The pictures were taken by our new volunteer Isabel Schoroer, who arrived with Charlotte Brosing. They came from Germany and were greeted with a “welcome” from the animals that were in trees very close to our headquarters here in Iracambi.

This species has a black face, hands and feet, and the rest of its body is brownish to orange. In our region we call this monkey Sauá, but it is also known by other names: guigó, japuçá, saá, uaiapuçá, uapuçá, iapuçá, sauá, boca-d’água, zogó, zogue-zogue and calicebo. Isabel Schoroer, thank you so much for these beautiful records! We’re sure you’ll take many more incredible photos
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_TJKFpOX2I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Hello everyone! We hope you are well! 

Here is the latest update from our education program, thank you so much for supporting our education program, and we want to give you a taste of other activities that are going on down in the rainforest. Happy reading, and have a great week!

Muriaé students visit the rainforest

On August 20th, Iracambi hosted third grade students from the Doutor Olavo Tostes State School in Muriaé. Our Environmental Education Coordinator, Dayana Duarte, tells us about the forest immersion day. “It is an amazing experience where the students walk a trail, ask a lot of questions and learn all sorts of cool things about the forest biome, including the importance of reforestation here at Iracambi. One of the highlights of their visit is getting to know our forest nursery, where they learn about the seeds and seedlings of native species, as well as their importance for our restoration areas, for the region and for the planet,” she says.

It was great to welcome students who are so interested, intelligent and curious to learn more about the conservation of the Atlantic Forest, a biome so threatened by human activity.

Click to view the Instagram post
https://www.instagram.com/p/C_MUt-tuO_U/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Since all our programs are connected, we thought we'd tell you what's been going on when a wildfire threatens our forest restoration program.

Iracambi Firefighters in action

One of our main challenges recently has been wildfires. With the drought, high temperatures and low humidity, we’ve had several outbreaks in our area. According to the National Institute for Space Research, there has been a 78% increase in the number of fires in Brazil this year, which is alarming, and in our state, (Minas Gerais,) there was a 114% increase in the number of fires in August compared to the same period last year.

Happily, we recently had a training session in firefighting from the local fire brigade, and last week our team was able to put their new-found skills to work. Click on the links to see the videos we made here at Iracambi.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-3uUgHO9Pa/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

And here's a snapshot from our volunteering program.    

Volunteering at Iracambi – learning from the Atlantic Forest

Volunteers Lilou and Elia joined us for two weeks in August, and we miss them already! With their infectious enthusiasm and willingness to learn, these French students made their mark, and especially enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the Atlantic Forest up close. They also shared experiences with local school kids, participated in our biodiversity monitoring program, worked hard in the nursery, and filled Iracambi with their joy. 

Dear Lilou and Elias, our team thanks you for everything! Come back soon.

If you, dear reader, want a unique experience in the Atlantic Forest, and want to help us restore it, if you want to make a difference in the world, Iracambi is the place for you! Check the volunteers page on our website and we'd love to hear from you. 

Check out the video

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_OJHsBO1FY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==