About us
In one paragraph…
EcoAtivo — Associação de Proteção e Conservação da Natureza is a Portuguese non-governmental, non-profit organization based in Fundão, in the heart of the Serra da Estrela region of central Portugal. Founded in 2010 as an informal volunteer collective, we became a formally registered association in 2020, consolidating a decade of grassroots environmental action into a structured and accountable organization.
Our approach
We work at the intersection of environmental conservation, non-formal education, and community regeneration. Our teams engage young people and adults in hands-on, transformative experiences — from agroforestry design and reforestation to citizen science, permaculture, and regenerative lifestyle workshops. We believe that lasting environmental change is inseparable from social inclusion, critical thinking, and locally rooted action.
EcoAtivo’s work is grounded in three pillars: direct action on ecological challenges, education and training that builds lasting green competencies, and network building that connects communities, institutions, and changemakers across borders. This integrated approach has allowed us to inspire hundreds of young participants from across Europe and to carry out meaningful projects in collaboration with local municipalities, nature reserves, and environmental NGOs.
Mission
EcoAtivo’s mission is to strengthen the relationship between human beings and the natural world through education, practical regenerative action, and collaborative community building. We empower young people and adults — particularly those in rural or under-resourced contexts — to become active, environmentally conscious citizens capable of co-creating resilient and sustainable communities.
Vision
We envision a world in which human societies live in genuine awareness of their interdependence with nature — where ecological integrity, social inclusion, and regenerative practices are embedded in everyday life and in the policies that shape it. EcoAtivo works toward a future in which young people across Europe have the knowledge, skills, and networks to lead this transformation from the ground up.
Our work is guided by five core values: regenerative ecology, lifestyle integrity, holistic consciousness, diversity and interconnectedness, and progressive innovation — values that inform not only what we do, but how we do it, and who we do it with.
External Committees
Scientific Committee
Composed to ensure that the solutions implemented by the association are aligned with the latest scientific advances in the environmental field:
- Ruben Costa, agroforest consultant and president of Planta Floresta association
- Jael Palhas, ecologist and researcher at Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), University of Coimbra
- Justin Roborg, Founder/Director of Terra Hábil, working on ecological restoration project development and management for large-scale landscape and river basin restoration
Environmental Education Committee
Responsible for providing support in the development of curricula for courses and workshops, as well as in all of the association’s environmental education activities:
- Dalila Lucas, president of the forest school Pequena Ilha Verde
- Justine Pissarra, teacher and curriculum coordinator for Pequena Ilha verde
Pilot Project Coordination Committee
Composed of EcoAtivo members and external collaborators who manage the pilot projects in which the association operates and implements initiatives:
- Robert Green, rector of Ananda Kalyani eco-village
- Jan Zijlstra, Life-coach, community development facilitator, and social permaculture educator. His consultancy work covers personal development, organisational transitions, community building, ecovillage design, and change/innovation management.
- Andreia Alves, human resource manager in Ananda Kalyani
EcoAtivo in numbers
Principles
- REGENERATIVE ECOLOGY Acting in harmony with nature’s cycles, regenerating soils, water and biodiversity for the generations to come
- COMMUNITY AND BELONGING Building real bonds between people, territories and cultures — because transformation happens together
- EDUCATION AS PRACTICE Learning by doing, sharing ancient and new knowledge, and inspiring active and conscious citizenship
- INTEGRITY AND COHERENCE Living the values we stand for — with transparency, humility and responsibility
- JOY AND DIVERSITY Celebrating life in all its forms, with art, encounter and openness to difference
The team
Filippo brings a background in mathematics and physics to his role as President of EcoAtivo and coordinator of the Ananda Valley ecological development project. Trained in permaculture and alternative lifestyles, he has mentored volunteers and participants in ESC/EVS projects and is a committed advocate for sustainable tourism and community resilience, guided by the belief that a better world is possible — built step by step.
Guilherme holds a Master’s degree in Geophysics and worked across four European universities before a Permaculture Design Course in 2017 redirected his path toward regenerative living. Since then he has trained in bioconstruction, keyline design, and syntropic farming, and has been coordinating EcoAtivo’s activities since 2021.
Sara is a Biologist who directed her studies towards Nature Conservation and Ecology during her Bachelor. She has worked in a Private Reserve and done multiple ecological actions and environmental education. Apart from Biology she has worked in other fields in an intercultural environment, mixing now both areas doing a professional internship at EcoAtivo.
Partners
