Eco-Aldeia da Bravura
Welcome to our visionary regenerative real estate project at the intersection of ecological restoration and conscious living on a sprawling 242 hectares of land with a watershed that is essential to providing water to the coastal region of the Algarve.
Our mission is to plant water in the Algarve by restoring ecosystems, rooting community, and cultivating human development. With this integrated and regenerative approach, we reclaim the vitality of the land and the water it relies on, rekindling the relationship between people and planet.
To ground our work, we strive to align with the Principles for Ecosystem Restoration that guides the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, which aims to halt, prevent, and reverse ecosystem degradation, and to effectively restore a range of ecosystems around the world. These efforts can then lead to environmental and socio-economic benefits for all, protect biodiversity, and fight the climate crisis.
The Challenge
The challenge in the Algarve, and in this piece of land nestled in the region, is common to other parts of the world:
- Human development and practices that cannot be sustained – notably in sectors such as commercial tourism, real estate, construction, and agriculture – have led to environmental degradation and contributed to climate change and biodiversity loss.
- The drying climate has then further led to drought, erosion, fires, deforestation, and eventual desertification, transforming a once rich forested Mediterranean ecosystem for the worse.
- This attack on our land, water, and all creatures that call this place home also negatively reverberates on the health and well-being of the population.
- Furthermore, as this coastal region is of utmost importance for tourism in Portugal, these developments have dire impacts on the economy of the country as a whole.
- This piece of land where our regenerative project sits happens to embrace a dam that forms a significant watershed above the coast and has the great potential to replenish much needed fresh water for the Algarve.
However, due to these current challenges, the dam’s water levels are at an alarming low with a monoculture of trees and unsustainable land and water management practices surrounding it.
The Opportunity
By managing and replenishing this land and watershed at Aldeia da Bravura in a sustainable way, our project would be doing a great service for the region and Portugal as a whole. And there is great potential on this site when it comes to net zero/climate and biodiversity goals:
- On carbon capture and storage, according to Restor, the land currently holds 13,586 tonnes in above and below ground woody carbon with the potential to hold up to 44% more tonnes; as well as soil organic carbon at the current level of 41,882 tonnes with the potential to hold up to 8% more and the great opportunity to conserve the build on the richness that is already there.
- On planting, protecting and attracting more species, according to Restor, trees cover 68% and shrub/scrub covers 32% of the land, but it is limited to a few species such as pine and eucalyptus with large swathes of monoculture surrounding it. By regenerating land cover with a variety of tree and plant species, we can then attract more wildlife in the region, which currently stands at 12 amphibian species, 40 mammal species, and 149 bird species.
Our Answer
On the environment
Central to our ecological stewardship and mission to regenerate land and water is the implementation of nature-based solutions that tackle both climate and biodiversity challenges while supporting local livelihoods, health, and well-being.
We have a range of solutions below that form an integrated approach in creating a more resilient foundation for our regenerative real estate project at Eco-Aldeia da Bravura:
- Rainwater Harvesting and Storage
- Rewilding and Reforestation
- Agroforestry
- Regenerative agriculture
Over the 240 hectares of land, approximately 140 will be committed to rewilding with the rest to be committed to agroforestry, regenerative agriculture and real estate development.
All these are solutions that work to efficiently capture more water for the soil and community, aerate the ground, capture and store more carbon, and cultivate a richer diversity of tree, plant, and animal species contributes to an integrated solution for water cycling and replenishing the critical watershed called Ecohydrology. According to UNESCO, ecohydrology is a form of integrated water resource management that balances the relationship between hydrological and biological processes to improve water security, harmonize catchment processes, and decrease ecological threats.
On livelihoods
Alongside our ecological stewardship is the importance of creating livelihoods that sustain our community and also contribute to the local surrounding population. Here are the different income generating activities
Regenerative real estate in the form of Natural Building units
- Tourism units - 200 suites and 133 bungalows
- Retreat Center - capacity for 300 people
- Housing Units - an estimated 100 units
Retreat/Events programming on Human Development, Health, and Well-being
- Workshops
- Seminars
Production of Food and Other Goods
• Timber from Forest from the Rewilding/Reforestation Area
• Agroforestry/Food Forest products
• Organic farming products
On human development, health and well-being -
All of these activities are informed and grounded by our intention for a more conscious way of living in harmony with nature that is at the heart of our mission. Indeed, we cannot change what surrounds us without our own internal work - as we heal the earth, we heal ourselves. Through regeneration, we reap environmental and socio-economic benefits that then lead to greater health and well-being for people and planet.
Our Partners
Government
We are working actively with the local municipality, which understands the critical water crisis in the region and the importance of this watershed at Eco-Aldeia da Bravura.
Regeneration partners
We are partnered with Vale da Lama, whose founder is also a founder of this initiative. Over the last 20 years, Vale da Lama is a regenerative farm and eco-resort that has a strong track record of capacity-building and educational programs for the community, farmers, and foresters through their Regeneration Base Camps and New Discoveries Project.
Through the partnerships that Vale da Lama has built over the years, we are connected to a network of regenerative farmers and practitioners in the Algarve who have the same strong commitment to ecological restoration and regeneration. Like the government, this network understands the critical need to restore and regenerate Eco-Aldeia da Bravura as a watershed, especially since many of them are facing a crisis of water shortage for their own lands.
Service providers
We have a group of trusted service providers with a solid track record who will help us deliver on this regenerative real estate project.
Monitoring and Evaluation
With the support of the Restor , ERC and others, we are actively developing the methodologies to measure, monitor and certify our regenerative work on the land. Using a combination of remote sensing techniques and in-situ measurements we will strive to make all the data easily and publicly accessible to all the community.
Check our baseline study of this magical land:
https://doc.clickup.com/9012051596/p/h/8cjhzmc-1672/3f9ca8d67929144
Scaling beyond Eco-Aldeia da Bravura
Our regenerative real estate project aims to be an example for other regenerative projects in the region with the sharing of knowledge, lessons learned, and good practices that can create a multiplier effect across the Algarve.
With this multiplier effect, we then also intend to be a reference for other coastal regions facing similar challenges, thereby, creating reverberating impact in other parts of the world.
About us
We are a group of founders who are committed to ecological stewardship and conscious human development, putting this into practice in this regenerative real estate project. Our efforts are facilitated by Verdagua, a company that sustainably develops real estate, while also regenerating ecosystems. This company impactful real estate investment opportunities for a range of investors such as impact investors and sustainability funds.
How you can support us
This project is more than a business plan; it's a declaration of our dedication to the land's rejuvenation and the rekindling of our relationship with the natural world. We invite you to be a part of this transformative journey, where every step we take is guided by the principles of regenerative practices, water stewardship, the revival of biodiversity, and the nourishment of local communities. Together, we are sowing the seeds of a harmonious future, cultivating a legacy of restoration for generations to come.
Join us!
We are currently seeking investors, donors, and technical experts to join us in this mission.
For more details, please contact us at: https://www.ecoaldeiadabravura.org/en
or in our discord: https://discord.gg/exuqDcTm2e