The Land · Aderno, Aritaguá · Ilhéus · Bahia
A Farm Built Around a Single Question
What do we want this land to become so the next generation will be proud of us?
Fazenda ALUME is a 42-hectare living laboratory where ecological restoration, agroforestry, science, and community come together to regenerate a landscape shaped by decades of rubber monoculture. Every intervention is designed not only to restore this land, but to develop models that can be adapted far beyond it.
A Different Dream for the Same Land
More than half a century ago, this landscape became part of someone else's dream.
Two brothers acquired the original property and divided it between them. One planted cacao. The other planted rubber. Their vision reflected the opportunities of their time, and the rubber plantation grew to nearly 13,000 trees across what had once been Atlantic Forest.
Years later, ALUME became the steward of the rubber side.
We are grateful for what came before—not because monoculture is the future, but because it gave us the freedom to create one. Had this remained an intact native forest, it would never have been appropriate to redesign it. Instead, we inherited a landscape that had already been transformed, giving us the responsibility—and the opportunity—to regenerate it.
One of our earliest lessons came from trying to establish syntropic agroforestry beneath the existing rubber canopy. It did not work. The dense plantation prevented the light, ecological dynamics, and succession that regenerative systems depend on. Rather than forcing a method onto the land, we listened to what it was teaching us.
Today, we remove the rubber trees before planting. Every tree that leaves makes room for a more diverse forest to return.
In many ways, Fazenda ALUME is not only restoring an ecosystem—it is continuing a story. The dream has changed. The commitment to the land has not.
Where We Are
At the heart of one of Earth’s greatest biodiversity hotspots.
Fazenda ALUME is located in Aderno, Aritaguá, Ilhéus, within one of the most biologically diverse regions of the Atlantic Forest. The property lies between the Serra do Conduru State Park, the Lagoa Encantada Environmental Protection Area, and the buffer zone of Ponta da Tulha State Park, giving it exceptional ecological connectivity and restoration potential.
For more than half a century, nearly 9,000 rubber trees replaced one of the world's richest ecosystems with a simplified monoculture. Today, approximately half of the property remains under rubber plantation while the other half is regenerating as secondary forest. ALUME's work is to accelerate this transition—restoring biodiversity, rebuilding ecological processes, and creating resilient landscapes that support both nature and people.
What began with one piece of land has grown into a long-term commitment to develop and share practical models for regeneration.
The Landscape Today
Multiple systems. One direction.
| Area | Current role |
|---|---|
| Rubber plantation | Gradual transition to biodiverse regenerative systems |
| Secondary forest | Assisted natural regeneration and biodiversity recovery |
| Agroforestry systems | Food, medicinal, aromatic, timber, and ecological production |
| Research areas | Long-term ecological monitoring and innovation |
| Community spaces | Education, artistic residencies, volunteering, and workshops |
The territory is organised into interconnected restoration zones that allow different regenerative strategies to work together while generating knowledge for future projects.
A Commitment Beyond a Lifetime
This is more than a restoration project—it is the foundation of an institution designed to endure.
Fazenda ALUME exists to develop the methods, partnerships, and financial models that make long-term ecological stewardship possible. Every lesson learned here is intended to be shared openly, allowing communities, landowners, researchers, and organizations to adapt and improve upon what works.
We believe regeneration grows through collaboration. That is why our methodologies, monitoring systems, and practical knowledge are developed as open resources whenever possible, helping restoration extend far beyond the boundaries of this land.
- Founded
- 2025
- Legal entity
- CNPJ 62.173.080/0001-34
- Location
- Aderno, Aritaguá, Ilhéus, Bahia