Eternal Forest takes root in the heart of Faia Brava in Portugal. By supporting this initiative, you will be helping to create a lasting legacy for future generations that will endure for 1000 years.
Eternal Forest in Faia Brava: Planting a Living Sanctuary in Portugal
🌿 A forest designed by artists, rooted in ecology, and stewarded for generations
This autumn, in the heart of Portugal’s oldest private conservation area, something extraordinary will begin: the planting of the very first Eternal Forest Sanctuary. By supporting, you’ll help create a legacy for the future generation that will last 1000 years — a living testament to your care for nature.
On November 7–8, 2025, we will take the first steps to seed a forest that is not only regenerative and biodiverse but also a living work of art. Created through the partnership of Eternal Forest, a global art and ecology initiative founded in Portugal, and Faia Brava - Associação de Conservação da Natureza, a protected reserve stewarded for 25 years, this will be a forest like no other.
You are warmly invited to join us in person on the days of November 2025 at Faia Brava for this unforgettable gathering. Come plant the first trees through a regenerative artistic design, meet the artists, scientists, and guardians, and take part in an experience of art and poetry, along with a symposium on art, forest, and community in collaboration with the Côa Park Foundation — an event open to all who wish to participate, support, or witness this historic moment.
Your presence will help us create a legacy for future generations!
🌿 This is just the beginning: first chapter of a long-term vision, first forest sanctuary our of 1,000!
The planting in November is not a one-off event — it’s the first chapter of a multi-generational project that will unfold over the years. Eternal Forest Faia Brava will grow slowly and meaningfully, rooted in care, co-creation, and ecological knowledge.
This crowdfunding campaign will provide us with the resources to not only deliver the first phase and the event in November, but also to develop vital research and collaborative designs that can be replicated to grow Eternal Forests all over Portugal.
This campaign is about more than trees. It’s about care. And memory. And the future. It’s about becoming good ancestors — starting here, in Portugal.
By contributing to this campaign, you are planting the first seeds of a sanctuary that will continue to grow over generations, ecologically, artistically, and communally.
Lugar potencial de Eternal Forest na Faia Brava
🌿 Why we’re creating this project
This Eternal Forest is an invitation to long-term thinking.
- We are creating a habitat for the future old-growth forest, not a plantation. A seed of Eternal Forest - native species will be planted in an artistic design — guided by biodiversity, artistic vision, regenerative design and a deep respect for place.
- The forest will grow alongside artistic residencies, education, and community participation, becoming a space of beauty, resilience, and cultural continuity.
- The site sits in the Côa Valley, home to some of Europe’s most extraordinary prehistoric engravings and paintings — a region where nature and culture have always been entwined. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/866
🌿 Who we are
Eternal Forest began in Portugal in 2018 and has since grown into an international network of artists, ecologists, and communities. Our vision is to create 1,000 forest sanctuaries protected for 1,000 years — and Faia Brava will be the very first.
https://www.eternalforest.earth/
This milestone is made possible through the generosity of people who believe that art and ecology belong together — and that regeneration is not only possible, but beautiful.
Join us. Let’s plant the first Eternal Forest — together.
➡ Learn more: https://seed.eternalforest.earth/event-en
Visita a Faia Brava
About the author
Eternal Forest began in Portugal in 2018 and has since evolved into an international network of artists, ecologists, and communities. Our vision is to create 1,000 forest sanctuaries protected for 1,000 years — and Faia Brava will be the first.
Evgenia Emets, artist and founder of Eternal Forest, has lived in Portugal since 2018. She holds a Master’s in Fine Arts from Saint Martin’s, London. Her work has been presented in various exhibitions, including: Bienal de Coruche (2019), CI.CLO / Porto Photography Biennale (2020), Roots & Seeds, Barcelona, Spain (2021), Multispecies Salon, Mexico, Bienal de Cerveira (2022), Encontro Pela Terra, Galeria Diferença, Portugal (2023), Galeria Municipal do Porto, Jping!, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Chicago, USA (2024), ALTER ECO, The Arsenal Gallery, USA (2025), Gifts from the Sentient Forest, Finland (2024–25), Encontros da Primavera, Portugal (2025).
Solo exhibitions include: Rewilding Time, Biodiversity Gallery, Porto (2024); Forest Time, Estufa Fria of Lisbon and Monsanto Forest Park (2023); Eternal Forest, MUHNAC Lisbon, Portugal (2022). https://www.eternalforest.earth/
Evgenia Emets & Antonio Araujo - Faia Brava
Faia Brava is Portugal's first classified Private Protected Area, part of the Natura 2000 network, IBA and Côa Archaeological Park (UNESCO). Spanning 1,000 ha of sustainably managed natural landscapes, it features stunning landscape of Côa River with wild cliffs, native forest of cork oaks, holm oaks. It provides critical habitat for griffon and Egyptian vultures, golden and Bonelli’s eagles, and black storks. Emblematic species like wildcats, otters, roe deer, and wild boar help sustain the ecosystem and naturally reduce wildfire risk. https://www.faiabrava.com/en
Fractal Regenerative Technologies - focuses on developing thriving futures for Nature, Humans, Businesses, Communities, and Villages. Their mission is, by design, to co-create unique regenerative places and scale ecosystem restoration with solutions grounded in permaculture. The work is rooted in ethical practices and a deep respect for Nature. Recent projects: Portugal: Silveira Tech, Good Mountain, Idyll, Aldeia Circular, Silent Break, Bravia, Salty Fox; Spain: El Enebra https://www.linkedin.com/company/fractal-regenerative-technologies/posts/?feedView=all
Budget and due dates
🌿 What this campaign supports
With your help, we will raise €22,000 to fund the Seed of Eternal Forest Faia Brava, the Phase 1 of the project, including:
- Organise an artistic residency and a technical visit at Faia Brava to do on-site research and ecological listening to select the most meaningful planting location, while connecting to local community, initiatives and planning the project
- Create a collaborative design of the forest sanctuary: artist Evgenia Emets and regenerative designer Maurício Umann of Fractal Regenerative Technologies, together with biodiversity specialists and plant experts, focusing on creating habitats
- Prepare the site and plant the first trees in November, including transport, logistics, plants, materials and equipment
- Organise the Seeding Eternal Forest in Faia Brava Symposium in collaboration with Côa Museum
- Community gathering and village celebration
- Filming of the process of creating the Eternal Forest Sanctuary + short trailer
- A digital and physical publication about the process of creating Eternal Forest Sanctuary
🌿 Timeline: From today to legacy - the future of the project after November 2025
Preparation Phase: 2024/2025: We visited Faia Brava, shared our visions and agreed to collaborate on this project.
Phase 1: 2025 First artistic intervention, tree planting and symposium on forest and art, celebrating the Eternal Forest-Faia Brava partnership
Phase 2: 2026 Art Trail, Eternal Forest Sanctuary project
Phase 3: 2026 Plant the “Eternal Forest” with a physical forest designed as a cultural and natural legacy on a larger area
Phase 4: Early 2027 Implement continuous artistic programming over the long term
Phase 5: 2028 (ongoing) Replicate in Portugal and beyond - creating a partner network of 1,000 forest sanctuaries
Images
Evgenia Emets
Artigo sobre Eternal Forest no Publico Azul
A primeira “floresta eterna” poderá nascer na Faia Brava
Artigo completo: https://www.publico.pt/2025/09/19/azul/noticia/primeira-floresta-eterna-...
Partilha a nossa campanha de crowdfunding até 3 de outubro!
Log in or register to post comments
Evgenia Emets
Great news! 🌿✨
Great news! 🌿✨
Our PPL crowdfunding campaign has been extended until October 3rd. This gives us more time to gather the support needed to bring the first Eternal Forest Sanctuary to life.
We invite you to help us spread the word - share the campaign with your networks, and if you feel called, reach out to become an Eternal Forest Ambassador.
We are now preparing for our November event, shaping the artistic and regenerative design of the sanctuary, and looking forward with joy to the launch of this living, long-term legacy in the world.
Link to share with your friends: https://ppl.pt/en/causas/eternalforest
PT
Boas notícias! 🌿✨
A nossa campanha de crowdfunding na PPL foi prolongada até 3 de outubro. Assim temos mais tempo para reunir o apoio necessário para dar vida ao primeiro Santuário Eternal Forest.
Convidamos-vos a ajudar-nos a divulgar — partilhem a campanha com as vossas redes e, se sentirem o chamado, entrem em contacto para se tornarem Embaixadores/as da Eternal Forest.
Estamos agora a preparar o nosso evento de novembro, a desenhar o projeto artístico e regenerativo do santuário e ansiosos por lançar este legado vivo e duradouro para o mundo.
Link para partilhar:https://ppl.pt/causas/eternalforest
Log in or register to post comments
Evgenia Emets
Jornal A Guarda: entrevista com a Evgenia Emets
Jornal A Guarda: entrevista com a Evgenia Emets: “A primeira Eternal Forest nascerá na Faia Brava, a primeira área privada protegida de Portugal, inserida no Parque Arqueológico do Vale do Côa”
Nesta entrevista, expliquei em detalhe o propósito da nossa campanha de crowdfunding PPL
Quem pode participar e quem pode juntar-se ao projeto? Partilhei a história do Eternal Forest e a sua emergência em 2018, em Portugal.
Falámos também dos desafios de criar uma rede de mil santuários para mil anos, e do que isso representa para as gerações atuais e futuras, sublinhando a necessidade urgente de proteger e regenerar florestas naturais em perigo.
Abordei ainda a visão da floresta como obra de arte e o que significa criar um Santuário Eternal Forest através do design artístico e da regeneração.
Leia o artigo completo: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1imEablkbvEg6kgUNkLE3pq6ctvkP2ELr/view
ENG: Thank you, Jornal A Guarda for this interview: “The first Eternal Forest will be born in Faia Brava, the first private protected area in Portugal, located within the Côa Valley Archaeological Park.”
In this interview, with Evgenia Emets, we explained in detail the purpose of our crowdfunding campaign on PPL https://ppl.pt/en/causas/eternalforest
Who is this project for and can join Eternal Forest? I shared the story of Eternal Forest and its emergence in 2018 in Portugal.
We also spoke about the challenges of creating a network of 1,000 sanctuaries for 1,000 years, and what this represents for present and future generations, emphasising the urgent need to protect and regenerate natural forests at risk.
We also shared the vision of the forest as a work of art and what it means to create an Eternal Forest Sanctuary through artistic design and regeneration.
Read full article in PT: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1imEablkbvEg6kgUNkLE3pq6ctvkP2ELr/view
Log in or register to post comments
Evgenia Emets
Novidades
For all the people and land, animals and trees - all those who have suffered fires in Portugal and beyond:
My dear heart, lighten up.
Don’t weigh so heavily on my chest.
From within the cave of my ribs, shine what is truly yours.
Knowing that change is inevitable and this moment is a passing wave.
Knowing that everyone is in a state of becoming and is on a journey.
Aching in grief.
Sulking in desperation.
Knowing to let it pass like smoke.
My inner forest is untouchable.
Is indestructable.
Endlessly complex.
Intrinsically sentient.
Alive in its inventiveness.
Stubborn in its resilience.
Its irreplicable patterns of beauty.
Its musical multitudes.
Its playful wisdom.
Its countless ways of knowing - challenge the obvious.
It knows how to move together to sprout the living dream.
It knows how to encounter what’s been lost.
It knows how to recall the greenprint.
Persistent memory that does not burn.
It knows how to lift the beings from the ashes of forgetfulness.
It is that Forest.
It knows how to heal me.
How to teach me to walk the land again and invoke her essence.
To listen to the beings that scattered hiding from the heat, rage and violence.
To offer consolation and call for communion.
It knows how to gather people.
It knows the way of being in a circle.
It knows the word that names the unbroken belonging.
The word that reawakens the ancient song.
The word that keeps the ancestral promise of our interbeing.
Then, sadness alchemises into joy.
(Evgenia Emets, Eternal Forest, 2025)
Log in or register to post comments
Evgenia Emets
Stories of fires and communities
'Every community needs a forest. Forest is home.' - Today my friend Luminita shared a deeply moving story that I also want to share with you. In the time when the whole of Portugal and many parts of the world are burning because of negligence, criminal activity, extractive monocultures and other reasons, more than ever a moment to connect with the places where we live and start acting.
'This picture was taken 2 days before the fire on our land, when Evgenia Emets, the founder of Eternal Forest visited us to see our property and discuss where we will create an Eternal Forest Sanctuary.
Mauricio Umann, our permaculture and regenerative designer at Fractal Regenerative, suggested her to check one specific spot on our 22ha property, for its beauty and magic and feel herself into it.
Two days later, that specific spot burned to the ground.
I cannot explain in words the pain facing a forest burning.
That day at lunch time, there were 60 fires going on in the area, and 81 in total.
And that's almost every day since Mid July.
When I moved in Portugal last year, I knew this might happen and mentally, I was prepared. But emotionally, facing the reality of the forest burning, the impact is impossible to imagine and describe.
The Douro river section that is in front of our house is the straight line where the firefighters' airplanes come to refill their water tanks.
Sometimes, it is so busy that I feel in a war zone.
And in a way, it is.
It is a war we keep fighting against our separateness from nature and each other.
A war against numbing ourselves and allowing ourselves to feel the pain of the world, and start acting.
We will do Eternal Forests - here and everywhere, because every community needs a forest.
Forest is home.’
Thank you for supporting Eternal Forest movement and being part of it!
Log in or register to post comments
Evgenia Emets
Novidades
PT: Estamos felizes por partilhar convosco a novidade de que a Eternal Forest está agora na plataforma Restor! Podem ver a localização no mapa e a área estimada que planeamos restaurar e reflorestar neste e nos próximos anos! https://restor.eco/sites/0b86b8db-13e9-4a70-bf93-8246fc762b62/?lat=40.94...
Muito obrigado por todo o vosso apoio! Partilhem, por favor, esta campanha com os vossos amigos para que possamos chegar a mais pessoas!
Eng: We are happy to share with you the news that now Eternal Forest is on Restor Platform! You can see the location on the map and the estimated area we plan to restore and reforest this year and in the coming years! https://restor.eco/sites/0b86b8db-13e9-4a70-bf93-8246fc762b62/?lat=40.94...
Thank you so much for all of your support! Please share this campaign with your friends so we can reach more people!
Log in or register to post comments