Almada Farm is located in the Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlantica), which is Brazil’s second largest tropical forest after the Amazon. Once this habitat consisted of over a million hectares on the Brazilian Atlantic coast. Unfortunately, only seven percent of the original environs is intact today due to the large proportion of Brazilians living in the Mata Atlantica region. The forests have given way to human needs for housing, farmland and pastures. But here on the Cocoa Cost surrounding Ilhéus where our farm is located, nature has been well preserved, largely due to the natural cultivation of cocoa.

The Cabruca – the local name of the cocoa groves – has been able to preserve much of the area’s biodiversity. The mature trees of the forest are largely still to be found. Only the forest floor has been cleared to create space for the cocoa trees, which can grow up to 4 meters. These trees thrive in the shade of the forest canopy, which in turn provides a habitat for the countless species of animals that live here.

Our farm provides a project area for scientific observation of the extremely rare golden-headed lion tamarin. They feel right at home here in the forest on our farm. And they are also the reason that Markus found his way here years ago,

namely to photograph this vibrant arboreal species.

The rainforest of the Brazilian Atlantic coastline is a unique species-rich vegetation area, which can compete with any rainforest on earth.

In this habitat, the variety of flora and fauna is even greater than the more famous Amazon forest. Which is why stopping further decline of the rainforest – and even enlarging it if possible – is so important.

Our family would like to make a contribution to environmental conservation on the Almada Farm. We have designated nearly 200 hectares of former farmland as wildlife sanctuaries and will replant these areas of the forest with original vegetation in the coming years.

Juliana