Instituto Pró-Terra

What Instituto Pró-Terra does

Instituto Pró-Terra is a Brazilian nonprofit civil association (associação civil sem fins lucrativos), founded informally in 1993 and legally registered in 1997 under CNPJ 04728488/0001-29, headquartered in Jaú, São Paulo. The organization's mission is to address socioenvironmental issues through conservation of natural resources, sociocultural rescue, and human integration with the landscape. It operates two principal programs: the Programa Paisagem Socioambiental, which delivers environmental education, community engagement, and social inclusion (including the Sala Verde environmental education center, the Mergulho na Bacia and Sub-bacia education projects, the Plantadores de Florestas rural-worker employment program, and the Campo Vivo sustainable agriculture initiative); and the Programa Conservação da Biodiversidade, which focuses on ecological restoration and connectivity, including the Cílios do Rio riparian forest recovery project (117.68 hectares across 30 rural properties benefiting ~220,000 inhabitants), the Plano Diretor de Restauração Florestal for UGRHI Tietê-Jacaré, and studies supporting the reintroduction of the Bicudo (Sporophila maximiliani). The underlying technology is a set of domain-specialized methodologies — ecological landscape restoration in micro-watersheds, nucleação techniques for riparian reforestation with native Atlantic Forest species, and environmental education frameworks — supported by an on-site library of ~1,975 works and specimen collections at Sala Verde.

The organization does not sell products or services commercially. Its revenue mechanics consist of project grants from public agencies (FEHIDRO, BNDES Mata Atlântica, Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Secretaria do Meio Ambiente do Estado de São Paulo, FID, municipal governments) and international NGOs (WWF Brasil, The Nature Conservancy, FUNBIO, Iniciativa Verde, DGM), supplemented by corporate donations (Banco do Brasil) and a small direct-donor channel (Adote Uma Árvore campaign at R$30 per tree with 24 months of maintenance). It also offers paid technical consulting and courses in environmental management, restoration, permaculture, and related fields. Go-to-market is event- and project-driven: the organization secures grants through public calls (e.g., 2026 Cotação Prévias for technical services), delivers work in partnership with basin committees (CBH Tietê-Jacaré), universities (USP ESALQ, FATEC Jaú, UFSCAR, FAEF), and municipal governments, and uses its website, Facebook, Instagram, and newsletter for top-of-funnel awareness. Operating geographies are concentrated in the Tietê-Jacaré watershed of São Paulo state, spanning Jaú, Dois Córregos, Mineiros do Tietê, Lençóis Paulista, Areiópolis, Macatuba, São Manuel, Ibitinga, Itapuí, São Simão, Brotas, Torrinha, and Barra Bonita, with recent expansion into the Jacaré Pepira sub-basin.

Name

Instituto Pró-Terra

Legal name

Instituto Pró-Terra

Website

https://institutoproterra.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Restoration Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK), Reforestation & Afforestation Services (Planting, Site Prep, Regeneration) (IMAMAAAE)

Keywords

• Riparian forest restoration
• Watershed management
• Environmental education
• Biodiversity conservation
• Ecological restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

Jaú

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Project Funding from Government Agencies: Primary revenue from government-funded projects including FEHIDRO (Fundo Estadual de Recursos Hídricos), BNDES, and state environmentalSecretariat. Projects include riparian forest restoration, environmental education programs, and watershed management.
2. NGO and Foundation Grants: Funding from international and national NGOs including WWF Brasil, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), FUNBIO, Iniciativa Verde, and DGM for conservation and biodiversity projects.
3. Institutional Partnerships: Partnerships with public and private institutions including FATEC-Jaú, municipalities, and environmental agencies for project execution and consulting services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Instituto Pró-Terra is a non-profit environmental organization that delivers ecological restoration services — primarily riparian forest (mata ciliar) reforestation and watershed recovery — combined with environmental education programs for schools, biodiversity conservation projects, and technical consulting. It employs displaced rural workers (ex-canavieiros) in reforestation activities, runs the Sala Verde environmental education center, and executes grant-funded socio-environmental landscape programs across the Tietê-Jacaré watershed in São Paulo state.

Product overview

Instituto Pró-Terra operates as a non-profit environmental organization structured around two primary programs and multiple service offerings. The Programa Paisagem Socioambiental (Socioenvironmental Landscape Program) delivers environmental education through projects such as Sala Verde (an environmental education center with ~1,975 library works and specimen collections), Mergulho na Bacia and its sub-basin variants (teacher training and student workshops), Plantadores de Florestas (rural worker employment in reforestation), Campo Vivo, and Pró-Terra Solidário. The Programa Conservação da Biodiversidade (Biodiversity Conservation Program) focuses on reforestation and ecological connectivity, operating projects including Cílios do Rio (riparian forest recovery), the Directing Plan for Forest Restoration of UGRHI Tietê-Jacaré, the Adote Uma Árvore campaign, and wildlife reintroduction studies. Supplementary service offerings include technical consulting in environmental management, professional training courses, university extension internships, and scientific/technical studies. The two programs share methodological synergies through environmental education and community engagement, while the consulting services provide institutional technical support to public and civil society clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sala Verde Instituto Pró-Terra: An environmental education center coordinated by the DEA of the Ministry of the Environment (MMA), providing educational activities, a library with approximately 1,975 works on socioenvironmental themes, a seed display with 45 species, and preserved animal specimens.
• Programa Paisagens Socioambientais
• Programa Conservação da Biodiversidade

Products and services

• Technical Consulting and Courses (Consultorias Técnicas) Paid technical consulting and professional training services covering environmental management, environmental education, socio-environmentalism, conservation units, sustainable development, sustainable tourism, Agenda 21, school gardens, permaculture, art-education, educommunication, bioarchitecture, and strategic planning. Targeted at public institutions, civil society organizations, and university partners.
• Technical and Scientific Studies (Estudos Técnicos e Científicos) Contracted technical studies covering landscape ecology, carbon sequestration by forests, agroforestry systems, degraded area recovery, fauna and flora inventories, and creation/implementation of ecological reserves.
• Adopt-a-Tree Campaign (Campanha Adote Uma Árvore) Campaign inviting local businesses in Jaú to adopt and fund the planting of native trees at R$30.00 per tree per month, with the institute handling planting and 24 months of maintenance, delivering an "Environmental Friend" certificate and monthly electronic bulletins on the adopted tree's status.
• Sala Verde Environmental Education Center Physical environmental education center coordinated by the Ministry of Environment (MMA) providing access to a library of approximately 1,975 socioenvironmental works, seed displays with 45 species, and preserved animal specimens with 52 species; offers workshops, training, lectures, and educational interventions to schools and communities.
• Projeto Cílios do Rio (Riparian Forest Restoration) Riparian forest restoration project financed by the BNDES Mata Atlântica Initiative; contracted to recover 117.68 hectares of riparian vegetation across 30 rural properties in Jaú, Ibitinga, and Itapu\u00ed municipalities, with approximately 80 hectares and 124,000 native trees recovered, featuring ecological connectivity between Atlantic Forest fragments.
• Programa Conservação da Biodiversidade Biodiversity conservation program aggregating degraded area recovery, fauna and flora studies, scientific article production, conservation unit support, and species reintroduction work (e.g., Bicudo bird), guided by Landscape Ecology concepts through ecological connectivity restoration in micro-watersheds.
• Programa Paisagem Socioambiental Environmental education and socio-environmentalism program focused on watersheds and protected areas as primary landscape units; delivers diagnostics, research, educational activities, awareness campaigns, courses, lectures, publications, and educational materials across multiple sub-projects.
• Plantadores de Florestas (Forest Planters) Social-environmental program employing approximately 13 rural workers (mostly former sugarcane workers) in forest restoration activities, combining technical training in seedling production and reforestation with environmental education, cultural rescue, and social inclusion; provides formal employment with labor rights and safety equipment.
• Mergulho na Bacia (Environmental Education Program) Environmental education project delivering teacher training in environmental education, hands-on student activities, and cultural exchange programs valuing local populations; focused on watershed conservation and sustainable development in central-western São Paulo state.
• Mergulho na Sub-bacia do Rio Jaú Environmental education initiative in partnership with schools across Jaú, Dois Córregos, and Mineiros do Tietê municipalities, delivering 16 thematic workshops and field visits to the RPPN Amadeu Botelho.
• Mergulho na Sub-bacia do Rio Lençóis Environmental education project conducted in Areiópolis, Lençóis Paulista, Macatuba, and São Manuel municipalities, funded by FEHIDRO, aimed at raising community awareness about water resource conservation through workshops, field experiences, and an educommunicative blog.
• Campo Vivo Project Environmental education initiative promoting rational use of water resources and more sustainable agricultural production practices in the Tietê-Jacaré watershed, with a published educational booklet (Cartilha Campo Vivo) distributed to local communities.
• Pró-Terra Solidário Voluntary solidarity initiative collecting and distributing hygiene products, household cleaning items, and food (perishable and non-perishable) to charitable institutions in the Tietê-Jacaré watershed region, with monthly collection at the institute's headquarters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15,000 people attended through Sala Verde environmental education activities since 2014
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• WWF BrasilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWF Brasil partners on conservation projects including environmental restoration initiatives and has supported projects in Lençóis Paulista/SP for APP recovery.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC Brasil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTNC Brasil collaborates on forest restoration projects including capacitação em Gestão de Projetos de Recuperação de Áreas Degradadas, monitoring of forest recovery in Rio Guandu-RJ, and watershed management support.
• Iniciativa VerdemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIniciativa Verde partners on forest restoration projects including Fazenda do Pinga and Fazenda Serra Bonita restoration initiatives, providing environmental restoration funding and support.
• Ministério do Meio Ambiente (MMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMMA coordinates the Sala Verde project through its Departamento de Educação Ambiental (DEA), providing institutional support for environmental education centers and activities.
• USP ESALQcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for academic collaboration, student internships, and technical support. Professor Marcos Sorrentino collaborated on Jaú-Imagens de um Rio project through Fundo de Cultura e Extensão Universitária da USP.
• FATEC JaúcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Faculty of Technology of Jaú for environmental technology programs, student internships, and technical collaboration on watershed studies and restoration projects.
• Secretaria do Meio Ambiente do Estado de São PaulocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState environmental secretariat partners on Mata Ciliar project (GEF/Banco Mundial funded) for riparian forest restoration in São Paulo state watersheds.
• CBH Tietê-JacarécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComitê da Bacia Hidrográfica Tietê-Jacaré is a key institutional partner providing project approval, funding coordination, and watershed governance participation.
• Fundação FlorestalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState foundation for conservation units partnered on Plano Diretor de Restauração Florestal and conservation area support activities.
• Various Municipal GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with municipalities including Jaú, Dois Córregos, Mineiros do Tietê, Lençóis Paulista, Areiópolis, Macatuba, São Manuel, and others for local environmental projects and education programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy Brasil (TNC Brasil): Brazilian operations of a global conservation organization with major forest restoration and watershed programs. A current Pró-Terra partner, but operates at much greater scale and engages in policy and corporate-level deals beyond a regional NGO's scope.
• FUNBIO (Fundo Brasileiro para a Biodiversidade): Brazilian biodiversity fund that has financed Pró-Terra projects (e.g., Bicudo reintroduction study). Functions as a grantmaker and project manager rather than a direct restoration operator, but participates in the same ecosystem and funding flows.
• Fundação Grupo Boticário: Brazilian foundation supporting biodiversity conservation through grants and direct conservation programs. Comparable in funding similar Atlantic Forest restoration work, though operating as a foundation rather than a field-execution NGO.
• WWF Brasil: Brazilian arm of a global conservation NGO managing portfolios across multiple biomes and policy areas. A current Pró-Terra partner, but operates at significantly larger scale with broader geographic scope.
• Conservação Internacional (CI Brasil): Brazilian operations of a global conservation organization with significant reforestation and water security programs. Comparable in restoration methodology and watershed focus, but with international funding scale and broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Iniciativa Verde: Brazilian nonprofit focused on Atlantic Forest restoration and reforestation, including projects mentioned in Pró-Terra's portfolio (Fazenda do Pinga, Fazenda Serra Bonita). Highly comparable in mission, methodology, and Brazilian NGO operating model.
• SOS Mata Atlântica: Brazil's longest-running Atlantic Forest conservation NGO, operating reforestation campaigns (Million Trees Campaign) and watershed programs. Comparable in target biome (Mata Atlântica) and nonprofit reforestation mission.
• Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ): Brazilian NGO combining ecological research, biodiversity conservation, and environmental education. Comparable in integrating scientific research with on-the-ground restoration and community engagement programs.

Emerging players

• Pacto pela Restauração da Mata Atlântica: Multi-stakeholder initiative coordinating Atlantic Forest restoration commitments across NGOs, companies, and government. Relevant as a coalition through which Pró-Terra could scale methodology and access corporate funding partners.

Regional players

• Prefeitura de Jaú — Secretaria de Meio Ambiente: Municipal environmental authority in Pró-Terra's home region. A current institutional partner, operating in the same geographic market but as a government counterpart rather than a competitive restoration service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/institutoproterra
• Instagraminstagram.com/institutoproterra
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instituto-pr%C3%B3-terra

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Instituto Pró-Terra