People of the Forest is partnering with the Yawanawá, located in the Amazonian rainforest of Acre, Brazil, to develop and implement a regenerative ecological design. Our first focus is to help fortify the Yawanawá with resilient food systems, including forest & water conservation practices.
*As of Nov. 1, 2025 we have raised $85,000 which goes directly towards the project, supporting a regenerative future for the Amazon and its caretakers.
Our primary goals are to:
- Support food security for the Yawanawá via agroforestry
- Restore the forest ecosystem and native soils
- Create a replicable model that can be spread to neighboring villages, bioregions, and communities
- Provide training for future land caretakers
TO SUPPORT INDIGENOUS CARETAKERS IS TO SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION OF THE FOREST.
Mutum, one of the 17 Yawanawá villages, aims to nurture its ancestral lands with thriving food systems by integrating traditional tending practices and whole system's design. The ultimate goal is to protect their diverse medicinal and native plant species, ensure food sovereignty, and preserve their language and living culture for future generations.
The Yawanawá, known as the "People of the Wild Boar," safeguard 500,000 acres of the Amazon, playing a pivotal role in rainforest preservation. Renowned for their cultural healing and spiritual traditions, they've invited us to help preserve their way of life sustainably by employing a combination of regenerative and traditional ecological methods.
Recognizing the invaluable efforts of indigenous tribes like the Yawanawá, who have safeguarded this essential ecosystem for generations, we join hands with them. We strive to enhance their endeavors, securing a prosperous future for both the community and the Amazon rainforest.
This multi-year project will undergo several phases of implementation, each involving fundraising campaigns to provide the necessary resources and materials to ensure the fulfillment of this regenerative vision.
Our Regenerative Journey
First Visit — October 2023
Self-funded a 3 person team for a site assessment.
Accomplishments:
- Assessed soil, habitat, and agricultural practices impacting biodiversity and food systems
- Cataloged native plants, trees, and food crops for future planting
- Met with Yawanawá leaders to understand local challenges and goals
- Co-designed a culturally rooted agroforestry model aligned with their diet, traditions, and environmental needs
- Assisted in identifying Yawanawá trainees for ongoing ecological education
Funding & Partnerships
After raising $85K from grants & private donors, and forming key partnerships, our expanded team was ready to return to Mutum. These funds supported three visits—May, August, and November—to complete all Phase 1 agroforestry deliverables.
Second Visit — May 2025
Our team returned to begin soil preparation for Phase 1 of the agroforestry system.
Accomplishments:
- Partnered with members of Mutirão Agroflorestal for in-country training and monitoring every 3 months
- Held design and planning sessions with Yawanawà leaders and stewards
- Conducted hands-on training in soil science, syntropic farming, forest ecology, pruning, seed saving, and tool use
- Collected soil samples for laboratory analysis
- Started the first agroforestry test plot - three 30 meter rows enriched with forest compost, ash, biomass, and several organic layers.
- Identified and assessed initial demo home for village house garden development
- Filmed documentation and conducted interviews for the release of video series
- Launched two new initiatives: the Indigenous Living Seed Bank and Indigenous Filming Mentorship
Third Visit — August 2025
Our Brazilian partners continued the onsite development and monitoring while expanding community participation.
Accomplishments:
- Added five more agroforestry rows and expanded planting areas
- Continued mentorship of the second Yawanawá stewardship team
- Supported local filming with camera equipment for documentation
- Worked with village leader & ecologist Julia Yawanawá to trade and collect native seeds from neighboring villages
- Addressed banana plantation health and introduced cover crops for soil regeneration
Next Step, 4th Visit — November 2025
We return to Mutum to:
- Complete the planting of established and amended rows
- To deepen ecological education
- Prepare for Phase 2—the creation of a community aquaculture (fish pond) system and home garden test plot
- Begin developing the first community house garden for enhanced food systems
With this visit, Phase 1 Agroforestry will be complete — a major milestone in our shared vision for regenerative food systems.
We now invite you to join us in Phase 2, expanding agroforestry into aquaculture and home gardens. Your support helps regenerate the rainforest and empower Indigenous stewardship. Please share and help us grow this movement of regeneration.
To support indigenous caretakers is to support the preservation of the forest.
Thank you for considering our cause. We eagerly anticipate the possibilities that await.
Warm regards,
People of the Forest team
Website - People of the Forest
Instagram - pploftheforest
People of the Forest is a dedicated team of ecological designers and earth care advocates deeply connected to indigenous land management. With decades of collective experience and a vast network of experts, we bring specialized knowledge to ecological restoration and sustainability.
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