AMAP is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the conservation of the Mata Atlântica, the Brazilian Atlantic Rain forest. The Mata Atlântica is considered to be one of the most species-rich ecosystems on earth. New species are still being discovered. But ninety percent of the Mata Atlântica has already been destroyed, and the remaining forests are highly fragmented. As a result, the habitats of the endemic golden-headed lion tamarins have declined severely. A small species of marmosets, endemic to the cocoa coast of Bahia and a flagship species of the region. Only due to the unique type of cocoa agroforestry, so called cabrucas, the lion tamarins could survive until today. Thereby cocoa grows as understorey in the shade of the native forests. Cabrucas can be used as habitats or corridors by the native fauna.
AMAP was founded in Germany in 2016 and began its mission in Bahia in 2017 after establishing an association of the same name in Brazil, aiming to save the habitat of the golden-headed lion tamarins. In the following years AMAP has expanded its mission to the conservation of the Mata Atlântica and its flora and fauna, for the benefit of humans and nature. The golden-headed lion tamarin is its symbol for the mission. AMAP promotes the conservation and expansion of the highly fragmented Mata Atlântica through land acquisition, reforestation and organic sustainable cacao cultivation. The base of our activities in the region is the association's own cocoa farm "Bom Pastor" not far from the Almada River.

AMAP achieves its mission by

• land purchase to protect wildlife habitats
• reforesting Mata Atlântica to restore habitats for wildlife
• supporting research projects for evidence based solutions for humans and nature
• supporting agroforestry systems to generate sustainable income for local communities
• sustainable organic cocoa production on its own farms

Establishment AMAP international

2016 AMAP Germany (Marburg, Hessen)
2017 AMAP Brazil (Ilhéus, Bahia)
2019 AMAP Swiss (Zürich)

Our Impact

2018 Purchase of Fazenda Bom Pastor
since 2018 Reforestation of an wildlife corridor
since 2018 Long-term monitoring of Golden-headed lion tamarins
2019 Purchase of Fazenda Julia
2020-23 Organic certification of AMAP’s cabruca
since 2020 A new population inventory of lion tamarins
since 2021 Production of own chocolate
since 2022 Ecological Assessment Initiative (EAI-Project)
since 2022 Inventory of aquatic vertebrates in the APA Lagoa Encantada e Almada
since 2023 Forest Restoration with the Pataxó Hã Hã Hãe indigenous community in the reserve of Caramuru-Paraguaçu