ESTÂNCIA JATOBÁ PROJECT

Lucila Machado Assumpção
John Keith Wood, Ph..D.

The Estância Jatobá Project has three interrelated intentions. They are:

1. Conservation: To preserve and restore the natural landscape for the protection of biodiversity, the health of the planet, and for esthetic nourishment and delight. Explicitly, to conserve native forests, wetlands, water supplies, energy, soil fertility, air quality, fauna and human potential.

2. Alimentation: To create sustainable food systems to serve household and local needs for healthy nutrition. To support regional economy, rural values, foster social justice and neighborliness.

3. Education: To conduct scientific research, learn by doing, value observation and practical knowledge, register and disseminate knowledge. To demonstrate a robust watershed with an infrastructure based on the use of solar energy and the elimination of waste.

Human beings are not apart from nature. The land, its inhabitants and what occurs on it we are treating systemically, as an integrated ecosystem. Each of the above emphases includes the intention to promote human welfare within organic wellness. By showing a decent protected forest, a decent sustainable farming system, decent energy efficient homes and offices we aim at enhancing both the environment and human potentialities. This collaboration with nature would amount to nothing less than learning how to live well in a place.