Completion of the Sixth and Final Course of the Replântica Project in 2025

Over the course of one month, every Wednesday and Friday from 20 August to 8 October, young people from communities surrounding the Guapiaçu Ecological Reserve, located in Cachoeiras de Macacu, Rio de Janeiro State, as well as from urban areas of the municipality, took part at REGUA in the sixth and final course of the Replântica Project in 2025.

Photo: REGUA collection ©

The course aimed to promote both theoretical and practical knowledge in forest restoration and entrepreneurship, as the age group included young participants between 17 and 26 years old — the so-called “Generation Z”. The programme featured several guest speakers from the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), who addressed topics such as Financial Education, Planting, Seedling Production, Ecopsychology, among many other subjects that guided the students on a meaningful learning journey.

Photos: REGUA collection ©

The programme also included the participation of SEBRAE from Cachoeiras de Macacu, represented by Maria José, who spoke to the young participants about entrepreneurship today. Professionals such as Vitor Marigo (Nature Photography), João Nogueira and Jefferson Alves (Marketing in Nature), Tarcísio Cunha (Ecotourism and Trail Demarcation), and the team from REGUA’s Environmental Education Department — represented by Leandro França, Sara Gomes, and Yasmim Xavier — also contributed to enriching the learning experience across diverse areas.

Photos: REGUA collection ©

With the aim of providing a broader view of the world, the young participants also took part in field trips. At the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica campus, they were able to experience first-hand the daily life of a public university, visiting its facilities, accommodation, and even having lunch alongside university students.

At Recanto Nosso Cantinho, in Serra Queimada, Cachoeiras de Macacu, the owners José Ricardo do Couto and Simone Coelho complemented the Ecotourism lesson by demonstrating how an ordinary place can be transformed into a source of income.

At the REGUA Lodge, a class led by university professor Paulo Leles enhanced the learning on ecological restoration, with a practical observation of a plantation established three years ago and its progress, followed by seedling planting activities using specimens selected by the students during their Seedling Production lesson.

The participants also engaged in hands-on learning during a class with professor Cláudia Moster on Watershed and Water Source Management at the Guapiaçu River. To consolidate the experience, a visit to the REGUA Waterfall inspired a profound reflection on the importance of conserving our forests.

The initiative is part of the Replântica Project, promoted by the Institute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics (ITT) of the Cologne University of Applied Sciences (Germany), in partnership with REGUA and the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ).