Society for Wildlife Research and Environmental Education

What Society for Wildlife Research and Environmental Education does

SPVS (Sociedade de Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem e Educação Ambiental) is a Brazilian nonprofit founded in 1984 and headquartered in Curitiba, Paraná, that conserves biodiversity within the Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Forest) biome. It directly manages three Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs) — Reserva Natural Guaricica, Reserva Natural das Águas, and Reserva Natural Papagaio-de-cara-roxa — totaling over 19,000 hectares in Guaraqueçaba and Antonina, and operates as a central actor in the Grande Reserva Mata Atlântica, a cross-institutional network of 110 conservation units covering nearly 3 million hectares across Paraná, Santa Catarina, and São Paulo. The organization's technical foundation rests on conservation science rather than software: participatory biodiversity monitoring protocols developed for small rural properties, GIS spatial analysis using third-party tools such as InVEST for ecosystem-services modeling, and the LIFE Business and Biodiversity methodology used to certify corporate environmental performance and issue tradable biodiversity credits.

SPVS's revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit structure spanning five streams. First, it issues approximately 1.3 million LIFE Biodiversity Credits per year to companies seeking voluntary environmental offsetting, priced on an avoided-cost valuation methodology and negotiated case-by-case, with Complexo Pequeno Príncipe as the inaugural buyer. Second, it executes multi-year corporate ESG partnerships, including the JTIBio project with Japan Tobacco International (since 2014, covering 84 small rural producers), the Alto Iguaçu Climate Observatory with Petrobras (R$4.2 million over 3 years from 2025), and a water-source protection program with SANEPAR. Third, it captures administrative flows tied to the ecological ICMS mechanism, under which SPVS-mediated reserves channel approximately R$10 million annually to surrounding municipalities. Fourth, it operates municipal Payment for Environmental Services (PSA) programs such as "Fábrica de Natureza" in Antonina. Fifth, it collects individual donations through its "DOE AGORA" program. Customers span three primary segments — corporate enterprises with ESG mandates, municipal governments, and rural landowners — supplemented by educational institutions and the nature tourism sector.

The organization's go-to-market combines enterprise field sales (direct B2B engagement on biodiversity credits and ESG compensation), event-driven outreach (active participation in COP-30 and UCBIO 2026), and direct engagement with municipal governments for PSA arrangements. Public visits to its natural reserves, including the Guaricica Experience, support environmental education and nature-tourism revenue while reinforcing brand recognition. Internally, SPVS runs species conservation programs (red-faced parrot and black-faced lion tamarin), ecological restoration initiatives (Conexão Araucária, Entre Mangues e Caranguejos), and education programs (Escola de Conservação da Natureza, Programa de Educação para Conservação). As of 2025, the organization maintains approximately 40 direct jobs across its reserves and conservation projects, is led by Executive Director Clóvis Borges, and continues to publish annual activity reports through its 40th anniversary milestone.

Name

Society for Wildlife Research and Environmental Education

Legal name

Sociedade de Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem e Educação Ambiental

Website

https://spvs.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SPVS is a Brazilian nonprofit founded in 1984 that conserves the Mata Atlântica Atlantic Forest by managing 19,000+ hectares of reserves, issuing LIFE biodiversity credits to corporations, and partnering with municipalities on Payment for Environmental Services and water-security programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG), Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

Keywords

• Biodiversity conservation
• Environmental education
• Habitat restoration
• Biodiversity credits
• Ecological restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

Curitiba

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. LIFE Biodiversity Credits Sales: Sale of LIFE Biodiversity Credits to companies seeking to offset environmental impacts. SPVS is one of the first organizations in the world to obtain LIFE Certification in Biodiversity Credits and issues credits from its Natural Reserves. The first buyer was Complexo Pequeno Príncipe. Prices are based on avoided cost valuation methodology and negotiated case-by-case.
2. Corporate ESG Partnerships: Partnerships with companies such as Japan Tobacco International (JTIBio project), Petrobrás (Climate Observatory), and others for conservation projects, environmental compensation, and sustainability initiatives.
3. ICMS Ecológico Mechanism: Revenue generated through the ecological ICMS tax mechanism. Since creation, reserves have contributed nearly R$ 40 million to municipal coffers. Approximately R$ 10 million annually in ICMS Ecológico to municipalities.
4. Donations and Private Contributions: Individual donations and private contributions through the 'DOE AGORA' (Donate Now) program on the website.
5. Payment for Environmental Services (PSA): Municipal Payment for Environmental Services programs, such as 'Fábrica de Natureza' in Antonina, offering financial support to owners of private areas recognized as RPPNs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SPVS manages three Private Natural Heritage Reserves covering over 19,000 hectares in the Atlantic Forest and issues LIFE Biodiversity Credits that enable companies to voluntarily offset environmental impacts through certified conservation actions. The organization also runs species conservation programs, ecological restoration services, environmental education initiatives, and Payment for Environmental Services (PSA) arrangements with municipal governments and rural landowners.

Product overview

SPVS operates as a conservation organization offering a portfolio of biodiversity conservation products and programs rather than a unified software platform. Its core offerings center on LIFE Biodiversity Credits—a pioneering market instrument for companies to offset environmental impacts—and LIFE Certification for businesses committed to biodiversity conservation. The organization manages three Private Natural Heritage Reserves (Reserva Natural Guaricica, Reserva Natural das Águas, and Reserva Natural Papagaio-de-cara-roxa) spanning over 19,000 hectares. Supporting these are species conservation programs (red-faced parrot, black-faced lion tamarin), ecological restoration services, environmental education initiatives (Escola de Conservação da Natureza, Programa de Educação para Conservação), and territorial development programs including JTIBio (biodiversity production in rural properties), Condomínio da Biodiversidade (urban conservation), Desmatamento Evitado (avoided deforestation), Neutralidade Hídrica (water neutrality), and the Observatório Climático do Alto Iguaçu (climate monitoring). The Grande Reserva Mata Atlântica serves as the overarching initiative connecting these programs across the largest continuous Atlantic Forest in the world.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JTIBio (Projeto Produção de Biodiversidade): Biodiversity monitoring and conservation initiative for rural properties in partnership with Japan Tobacco International (JTI), operational since 2014.
• Créditos de Biodiversidade LIFE

Products and services

• LIFE Biodiversity Credits (Créditos de Biodiversidade LIFE)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 20,000 residents provided with water supply from conserved reserves
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• PetrobráscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in the Alto Iguaçu Climate Observatory (OCAI) project with R$ 4.2 million investment. Project operates in vulnerable neighborhoods of Curitiba and Araucária focusing on climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Part of Petrobrás Socio-environmental Program with 3-year execution timeline.
• Japan Tobacco International (JTI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Primary partner in the JTIBio (Produção de Biodiversidade) project since 2014. Project integrates participatory biodiversity monitoring with rural property management, benefiting 84 small rural producers in Paraná. Focus on sustainable agriculture aligned with conservation of Floresta com Araucárias and Campos Gerais ecosystems.
• Loro Parque FundaciónflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership spanning nearly 3 decades supporting conservation of the papagaio-de-cara-roxa (Amazona brasiliensis). Long-term commitment contributed to decreasing the species' extinction threat level to 'nearly threatened' in Brazil. Partnership includes population monitoring, artificial nest installation, and scientific research.
• Instituto Life GlobalcoreTechnology or IntegrationInternational accrediting body that developed the LIFE Business and Biodiversity methodology. SPVS was one of the first organizations worldwide to obtain LIFE Certification in Biodiversity Credits. Methodology used for measuring and verifying biodiversity impacts for credit generation.
• SANEPARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParaná sanitation company partnership for water source protection and biodiversity conservation. 2-year contract includes training for 300+ public managers, engaging 50 private companies, and creating new Conservation Units. Focus on protecting water sources for Curitiba, Metropolitan Region, and coastal areas.
• Complexo Pequeno PríncipecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst healthcare institution in Brazil to acquire LIFE Biodiversity Credits, marking inauguration of the biodiversity credits market. Partnership demonstrates integration between environmental management, healthcare, and innovation sectors.
• Grupo Positivo / PosigrafflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in Payment for Environmental Services (PSA) with Mata do Uru RPPN since 2002. Over 20 years of continuous partnership makes it one of Brazil's longest-running PSA models. Located in Lapa, Paraná with 129.6 hectares of Araucária Forest protected.
• FUNBIO (Fundo Brasileiro para a Biodiversidade)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging partner for Edital Manguezais do Brasil, a financing mechanism supporting ecological restoration projects in Brazilian mangroves. Manages funding from BNDES and Petrobrás for biodiversity conservation initiatives.
• Observatório do Código FlorestalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 48 civil society organizations created in 2013 to monitor implementation of Brazil's Forest Code. SPVS participates in the network supporting national conservation goals and policy advocacy.
• Family CampanholocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in RPPN Mata do Uru, a 129.6-hectare protected area in Lapa, Paraná representing 76% Araucária Forest and 24% Natural Fields. Partnership of 23 years exemplifies private conservation success.
• Programa Biodiversidade Litoral do Paraná (BLP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial supporter of Paisagens Multifuncionais project in Grande Reserva Mata Atlântica, strengthening native fruit value chain and encouraging use of native species from Mata Atlântica biome.
• Global Nature FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization supporting conservation leadership programs. Fernanda Alves, supported by the fund, represents a new generation of professionals in the Grande Reserva Mata Atlântica.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global nonprofit operating species-conservation programs, including in Brazil. Comparable to SPVS through its species-focused programs (analogous to SPVS' parrot and mico-leão-da-cara-preta programs), reserve management, field monitoring methodology, and corporate partnership approach.
• WWF-Brasil: Brazilian arm of the World Wildlife Fund, a large environmental NGO that runs conservation, biodiversity, and forest protection programs across Brazilian biomes including the Atlantic Forest. Directly comparable as a Brazilian nonprofit conservation organization with corporate partnerships, reserves management, and donor-funded programs.
• Instituto Socioambiental (ISA): Brazilian nonprofit that combines biodiversity conservation, indigenous rights, environmental education, and policy advocacy across multiple Brazilian biomes. Comparable to SPVS in scope (conservation + education + corporate partnerships) and as a long-standing Brazilian advocacy/sustainable-development NGO.
• FUNBIO (Fundo Brasileiro para a Biodiversidade): Brazilian environmental fund that channels financial resources from BNDES, Petrobras, and other donors into biodiversity conservation projects. Directly comparable because FUNBIO is both a partner and functional peer: it funds the same category of ecological-restoration projects SPVS executes, including the Edital Manguezais do Brasil program SPVS participates in.
• SOS Mata Atlântica: Brazilian nonprofit founded in 1986 dedicated to the conservation and restoration of the Atlantic Forest biome. Closely comparable because it focuses on the same biome, runs reforestation, monitoring, and policy advocacy, and interfaces with corporate donors and municipalities in parallel ways to SPVS.

Others

• Pacífico (Brasil) / Pacto Global de Meio Ambiente equiv. NGO: The UN Global Compact Brazil Network supports company ESG disclosures aligned with TNFD and biodiversity frameworks that SPVS' biodiversity credits serve. Comparable as an adjacent enabling organization that helps create enterprise demand-side pull for SPVS' conservation products rather than competing directly.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International Brazil: Brazilian operation of Conservation International, focused on biodiversity, sustainable development, and corporate biodiversity initiatives. Comparable to SPVS in issuing nature-based credit instruments and running corporate ESG partnerships, but with significantly larger global footprint and funding.
• The Nature Conservancy (Brazil Program): Global environmental nonprofit with an active Brazil program running forest conservation, restoration, and corporate nature-based solutions engagements. Comparable as an established, well-capitalized conservation NGO that issues ecosystem-service credits and partners with enterprises, though operating at much larger global scale than SPVS.

Emerging players

• Reserva VIVA / Bonsucro-aligned Brazilian restoration orgs: Smaller Brazilian NGOs/forestry companies entering biodiversity and carbon credit issuance for Atlantic Forest and other biomes. They represent potential competing supply to SPVS in the emerging biodiversity credit market, comparable via similar credit-issuance and reforestation activities targeting corporate ESG buyers.

Regional players

• Instituto EcoFaxina / Instituto Mãe Natureza: Emerging Brazilian environmental nonprofits running Brazilian corporate carbon/biodiversity credit programs and reforestation services. Comparable as emerging issue-based players pursuing the same corporate ESG demand for nature-based credits that SPVS monetizes via LIFE methodology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SPVSBRASIL
• Facebookfacebook.com/SPVSBrasil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spvsbrasil
• Instagraminstagram.com/spvsbrasil
• TikToktiktok.com/@spvsbrasil
• Xx.com/SPVSBrasil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Society for Wildlife Research and Environmental Education