Instituto Terra
Instituto Terra is a Brazilian non-profit founded in 1998 by Sebastião Salgado that restores Atlantic Forest in the Rio Doce basin through native planting, spring recovery, environmental education, and rural development programmes, funded by corporate sponsors, donations, and visitor experiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersAimorés, Brazil
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Instituto Terra does
Instituto Terra is a Brazilian non-profit civil association founded in 1998 in Aimorés, Minas Gerais by photographers Lélia Deluiz Wanick Salgado and Sebastião Salgado to restore a degraded cattle farm into Atlantic Forest. Headquartered at the Fazenda Bulcão RPPN (a Private Natural Heritage Reserve granted in 1998), the organization operates three integrated programmatic pillars: Refloresta (ecosystem restoration via planting of native Atlantic Forest species), Terra Doce (sustainable rural development and spring recovery across the Rio Doce basin, succeeding the award-winning Olhos D'Água programme), and environmental education through NERE (post-technical training for restoration technicians), Terrinhas (UNESCO-recognized school programme for children), and Terra Jovens (youth empowerment). Its core "technology" consists of an in-house native seedling nursery with capacity of 500,000 to 1.5 million seedlings annually (expanding to 2 million), a 200 km-radius seed collection network for genetic variability, and proprietary silvipastoral and agroforestry systems. To date it has planted over 3.5 million trees, monitors 2,346 hectares, and reports recovery across 2,600+ springs and 235+ fauna species.
The organization is funded primarily through tiered corporate sponsorships anchored by Master Patrons Zurich Insurance Group and Z Zurich Foundation, and Master Sponsor KfW (Germany-Brazil Cooperation), supplemented by individual donations, paid visitor experiences ticketed through Sympla, and branded merchandise via institutoterrastore.com. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging partnerships with rural producers, public schools, and high-visibility cultural collaborations (e.g., Gilberto Gil's 2021 Refloresta campaign). In September 2025, Instituto Terra established Instituto Terra Foundation in Geneva, Switzerland under Swiss non-profit law with its own board to raise international profile and develop philanthropic and academic partnerships supporting Terra Doce. The founder Sebastião Salgado passed away in 2025; his son Juliano Ribeiro Salgado now chairs both the Brazilian association and the Swiss Foundation.
Instituto Terra firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Instituto Terra
- Legal name
- Instituto Terra
- Website
- https://institutoterra.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Instituto Terra is a Brazilian non-profit founded in 1998 by Sebastião Salgado that restores Atlantic Forest in the Rio Doce basin through native planting, spring recovery, environmental education, and rural development programmes, funded by corporate sponsors, donations, and visitor experiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Instituto Terra industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Restoration Services
- NAICS
- Nursery and Tree Production (111421), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (11321)
- SIC
- Forestry (800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regeneration & Reforestation Operations (Site Prep, Planting, Seeding) (AFAMAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Native Species & Restoration Plant Nurseries (AFAMADAF), Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK), Agroforestry & Perennial Cropping Systems (EUABABAD)
Keywords
Where Instituto Terra is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aimorés
- HQ country
- Brazil
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Instituto Terra business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Corporate Sponsorships: Companies sponsor specific programs (Ecosystem Restoration, Environmental Education, Rural Development) at various tiers (Master Patrons, Master Sponsors, Gold Sponsors, Silver Sponsors, Bronze Sponsors). Sponsorship funds support seedling production, planting, educational programs, and rural producer support.
- Individual Donations: Individuals can make one-time or monthly donations to support ecosystem restoration, environmental education, and sustainable rural development work. Donation forms are available on the website.
- Visit Fees: Visitors pay for self-guided or guided tours of the Instituto Terra facility, including the nursery, trails, lake, and exhibition spaces.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Corporate sponsorship tiers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Instituto Terra product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Instituto Terra is a non-profit organization that restores degraded Atlantic Forest areas through native seedling production and reforestation, delivers environmental education programs for children and youth, and supports rural producers in adopting sustainable practices. It operates a native seedling nursery capable of producing 500,000–1.5 million seedlings per year and manages 2,346 hectares of restored land in the Rio Doce basin.
Product overview
Instituto Terra is a non-profit organization (NGO) offering environmental restoration and education programs rather than a traditional technology product. The core offerings include: the Refloresta ecosystem restoration program, the Terra Doce sustainable rural development program, educational programs (NERE, Terrinhas, Terra Jovens), a native seedling nursery, and visitor experiences. These programs work together to restore Atlantic Forest in the Rio Doce basin, educate communities, and support rural producers in adopting sustainable practices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Refloresta Ecosystem restoration program that plants native species of the Atlantic Forest to recover soil, biodiversity, and springs in the RPPN Fazenda Bulcão in Aimorés, MG.
- Terra Doce Sustainable rural development program that works on recovery of the Rio Doce basin, supporting rural producers in restoration of springs and adoption of sustainable production practices including agroforestry systems and water conservation.
- NERE - Núcleo de Estudos em Restauração Ecossistêmica Post-technical training program offering 11 months of theory and practice for young people who wish to work in ecosystem restoration, with scholarship and student housing.
- Terrinhas Environmental education program for children from public schools in the Rio Doce Basin, selected twice by UNESCO as a model project. Includes 9 visits to Instituto Terra per academic year plus classroom activities and podcast production.
- Terra Jovens Workshop program for teenagers and young adults aged 16 to 29 that strengthens community identity and forms agents of transformation in the Rio Doce region.
- Viveiro de Mudas Nativas (Native Seedling Nursery) Native seedling nursery capable of growing up to 500,000 to 1.5 million seedlings of dozens of different species per year, using semi-mechanized techniques and manual processes for proper tree development.
- Visitas ao Instituto Terra (Visitor Experiences) Guided and self-guided visits to the Instituto Terra headquarters in Aimorés, MG, including access to the garden designed by Lélia Wanick Salgado, Exodus exhibition by Sebastião Salgado, lake, Meliponary School, Quatis trail, and native seedling nursery.
- Meliponário Escola School of native stingless bees (meliponiculture) that raises awareness about the importance of native bees for forest and crop pollination, and trains rural producers in bee-keeping techniques.
Quantifiable outcome
- 235+ species of fauna returned to restored forest
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Instituto Terra
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Instituto Terra technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Instituto Terra partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, strategic and minor.
- France-Brazil Season 2025flagshipOfficial partner for environmental restoration project contributing to carbon offset for the France-Brazil Season 2025, celebrating 200 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
- WWF (World Wildlife Fund)strategicListed as strategic partnership for environmental conservation collaboration.
- Gilberto GilflagshipBrazilian music legend released 'Refloresta' campaign and TikTok account in 2021, enabling planting of 40,000 additional trees at Instituto Terra. Music video directed by Ivi Roberg.
- Leonardo MerçonminorPartner who photographed the ocelot's return to the forest in 2011, documenting ecosystem recovery.
- Todos Pelo Rio Doce MovementstrategicVoluntary movement mobilized for spring recovery in the Doce River, supported by Instituto Terra after the 2015 Mariana dam disaster.
- UENF (Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense)strategicResearch collaboration on restoration technologies, including innovations for forest recovery.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Instituto Terra competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- WWF-Brazil: Brazilian arm of a global conservation NGO with active Atlantic Forest programs, corporate partnerships, and education/community components. Closely comparable mission and partnership model to Instituto Terra.
- World Resources Institute (WRI) Brasil: Global research organization with a Brazil office working on forest restoration monitoring, land-use policy, and the Global Forest Watch platform. Comparable in producing data-driven restoration insight that supports donor and policy decisions.
- Conservation International (CI) Brazil: Global conservation NGO with Brazil operations focused on forest protection, restoration financing, and indigenous/community partnerships. Comparable in mission and the use of corporate partnerships to scale conservation outcomes.
- The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Brazil: Global conservation NGO with major Brazil operations focused on forest protection and restoration, including Atlantic Forest and Cerrado. Comparable as a large-scale restoration organization that pairs land management with corporate partnerships and public funding.
Direct peers
- Imaflora: Brazilian non-profit working on sustainable forestry, restoration, and rural development with certification and corporate ESG engagement. Operates in similar geographies with a comparable mix of technical assistance and donor-funded programming.
- SOS Mata Atlântica: Brazilian non-profit dedicated specifically to protecting and restoring the Atlantic Forest biome. Direct peer in target ecosystem, with overlapping corporate sponsorship and public engagement models.
Emerging players
- Biofilica: Brazilian company developing native-species reforestation projects and carbon credit origination in the Atlantic Forest and Amazon. Overlaps with Instituto Terra on native species production and the emerging voluntary carbon market pathway.
- Mombak: Brazilian startup focused on large-scale native forest restoration and carbon credit issuance. Comparable in scaling native-species reforestation with corporate capital, though with a more commercial, venture-backed model.
Others
- Pacto pela Restauração da Mata Atlântica: Multi-stakeholder initiative coordinating Atlantic Forest restoration across hundreds of signatories including NGOs, companies, and government. Comparable as a convening platform for restoration ambition and as a complementary partner rather than a direct competitor.
Regional players
- Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA): Brazilian NGO restoring Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro state, combining reforestation, education, and eco-tourism. Comparable in mission and in the visitor-program revenue model Instituto Terra operates in Aimorés.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Instituto Terra social profiles
Digital presenceInstituto Terra financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Instituto Terra leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Instituto Terra funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Instituto Terra M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Instituto Terra
What does Instituto Terra do?
Instituto Terra is a non-profit organization that restores degraded Atlantic Forest areas through native seedling production and reforestation, delivers environmental education programs for children and youth, and supports rural producers in adopting sustainable practices. It operates a native seedling nursery capable of producing 500,000–1.5 million seedlings per year and manages 2,346 hectares of restored land in the Rio Doce basin.
Is Instituto Terra a public or private company?
Instituto Terra is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Instituto Terra founded?
Instituto Terra was founded in 1998. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Instituto Terra based?
Instituto Terra is headquartered in Aimorés, Brazil, in the Latin America region.
How does Instituto Terra make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Corporate Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are individual Donations and visit Fees.
Who are Instituto Terra's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are WWF-Brazil, World Resources Institute (WRI) Brasil, Conservation International (CI) Brazil and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Brazil. Direct peers are Imaflora and SOS Mata Atlântica. Emerging players are Biofilica and Mombak. Pacto pela Restauração da Mata Atlântica is listed as an others. Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA) is listed as a regional player.
Does Instituto Terra have an API?
No public API is recorded for Instituto Terra.
What industry is Instituto Terra in?
Instituto Terra's product category is Environmental Restoration Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAMAAAC, Regeneration & Reforestation Operations (Site Prep, Planting, Seeding), with a secondary code of AFAMADAF, Native Species & Restoration Plant Nurseries. Its NAICS code is 111421 and its SIC code is 800.