Location
Main Biome
Ha. Being Restored
Overview & Impact
The Ecosystem Restoration Center of Museu Paiter A Soe is rooted in the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land in Rondônia — the ancestral territory of the Paiter Suruí people. This land, once lush and abundant, has suffered widespread degradation from historical agricultural practices, pasture clearing, and the escalating threats of deforestation and illegal mining.
Founded in 2018, the GAP EY Association, led by members of the Gap Ey family – Gapgir and Kaban clan – has been working for more than two decades to protect their territory, preserve cultural heritage, and foster sustainable practices that weave together traditional Paiter knowledge and modern science.
Through this Ecosystem Restoration Center, they are restoring degraded forest ecosystems and reclaiming the community’s food and economic sovereignty. This is achieved by cultivating native, fruit, and medicinal species within regenerative agroforestry systems. The work is deeply collaborative, mobilising forest brigades, women, and youth, and focusing on local training, income generation, and the revitalisation of traditional ways of life.
Despite ongoing challenges — like limited access to public policies and relentless environmental pressures — the vision of Museu Paiter A Soe remains to regenerate the land to guarantee the future of the next Paiter generations, strengthen cultural identity and contribute to the restoration of the Amazon biome. They dream of a living and protected forest, cared for by those who have always been part of it.
Impact story
In 2023, a once barren pasture in the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land began to come back to life. Paiter women—many earning their own income for the first time—led the way, planting native and medicinal species. As the first seedlings pushed through the soil, something else took root: renewed pride, purpose, and hope. Elders passed on ancestral knowledge to the youth, weaving stronger bonds between generations. Today, where silence and dry earth once reigned, a thriving community nursery flourishes, healthy food grows, and the air is filled with birdsong and possibility. The forest is returning—and with it, the future of the Paiter.
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Achievements & Partners
The GAP EY Association has already made significant progress in empowering the Paiter people and protecting their territory. With support, they have trained 20 young people in environmental monitoring using drones, increasing surveillance against invaders and strengthening indigenous autonomy in protecting the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land. They created the Gap EY Forest Brigade with 25 indigenous Paiter people – the first indigenous brigade in the state of Rondônia – which included more than 5 women. Craft workshops involving 38 participants have taken place culminating in an exhibition at the Municipal Theater of Cacoal, celebrating the Paiter culture and generating visibility and income for female artisans using seeds and plants resulting from restoration. They have also built a 72m² administrative headquarters equipped for meetings and training, directly benefiting 280 indigenous people from the Gapgir Village and, indirectly, more than 2,500 people throughout the region. In addition, bilingual communication and education materials have been developed, such as booklets and videos, promoting cultural revitalisation and the sustainable use of natural resources. These integrated actions have contributed to the return of biodiversity in monitored areas and to the institutional and cultural strengthening of the community, consolidating GAP EY as a reference in ecological restoration based on indigenous leadership and the dialogue between tradition and innovation.
Partner organisations
Integrated Legacy of the Amazon Region (Lira)
Restoration Activities on Site
Food growing
Tree planting
Cover cropping
Agroforestry
Fire prevention
Regenerative entrepreneurialism
Volunteer Facilities on Site
Visualise this ERC's Impact
Many Ecosystem Restoration Communities are using platforms like Restor and iNaturalist to show how the work they’re doing on the ground is having a positive impact on the land and local biodiversity. Click the logo to view their impact!
