Environmental Care - Ambiental Terra Mirim


In Terra Mirim, the environmental field is the one who directly takes care of the waters, plants, animals and forests, as well inside of the community land as in the surrounding areas. Like the other fields of TMF, Environmental Care is based on the principles of integrative ecology, in which the „cure“ of our planet and the environment comes necessarily through the cure of us, human beings (the healing of our societies, communities and individuals) on all levels.

We started our environmental learning by taking care of our own land, transforming an old cattle farm into a beautiful piece of land, full of trees and wildlife, where the Itamboatá river flows freely. However, understanding that ecology does not know any frontiers, we saw the necessity to expand our visions and actions beyond our fences.

We are located in an area close to the biggest industries of the state of Bahia, in a region with a strong urbanisation, with a variety of communities in precarious living conditions. A long time ago this region was entirely covered by the Atlantic Rainforest, the tropical forest with the world´s richest biodiversity. There are still some remaining parts of this rainforest in our region, which we are eagerly trying to protect. We understand that these facts are challenging and need to be faced sincerely.

In this sense Terra Mirim has improved technically and professionally. Considering the general and collective character of the social and environmental questions, we do our utmost to strengthen local social networks, trying to form solid partnerships with governmental institutions, companies and self-employed professionals, on regional, state and country levels. The team of Terra Mirim is represented and participates in forums and instances of environmental management. By the demand of local communities it also reports crimes against the environment in the region and accompanies lawsuits.

All of our work with the environment is refers to the process of living together with neighbouring populations, making the linkage between politics and culture, environment and social rights. Terra Mirim has developed huge capacity of institutional articulation and has arisen citizen’s consciousness among children, teenagers and adults of the region. In all these activities TM has created an unique method that bounds together social justice and en environmental care. Thus, Terra Mirim has become a referential social organization.

We understand ourselves as guardians of nature in our region and in the world. We believe, that only practical experience and faith in our purpose can strengthen and help us to empower the local communities. It also gives a possibility to care more passionately for the surroundings we are living in. Above all it is our love for nature and caring for human kind essence that makes us bound to act.

Contact the TMF Environmental Care team: ambiental@terramirim.org.br