Tell us more about the challenge of the project.What is the problem you are trying to solve? Why is the problem significant?

Eco Guaricana, CNPJ 115163650001-90, is celebrating its tenth anniversary in November 2023 organizing Eco Tourism tours in partner private environmental reserves, known as RPPNs, or places with an interest in preservation in general. The base camp is at Eco's farm in São José dos Pinhais, at Estrada Velha da Guaricana, no. 500, with 6 hectares, in Paraná, with trips also to Piraquara, Curitiba and Bocaiúva do Sul.

As a positive impact on nature, Eco Guaricana's partner RPPNs, Bellatrix (in Bocaiúva do Sul with 100 hectares); Airumã (in Curitiba with 3.6 hectares); Santuário da Natureza Walker (in Piraquara with 30 hectares); and Nhandara Guaricana (in São José dos Pinhais with 300 hectares), add up to more than 400 hectares preserved and dedicated to Eco Tourism, in a connection that starts in Bocaiúva and brings together more than 130 km of private forests, parks and public forests, up to Serra da Guaricana, in Nhandara Guaricana.

In a decade, more than 5,000 ecotourists of all ages have been in the company of Eco Guaricana in these RPPNs, which offer contemplation guides, trails, bee, bird and butterfly watching, visits to waterfalls, hiking and cycling, visits to mixed and dense ombrophilous forests, among other activities.

During the pandemic, with the tours canceled, we looked for other forms of income, with the purchase of a container for coffee in the woods and boxes of stingless bees. The melipones are the inspiration for building a geodesic campsite with stingless bees interspersing the tents. The tents will be able to stay under the green roof, providing thermal treatment and the experience of day use and overnight stays in the forest.

The project aims to generate income by extending the presence of eco-tourists at Eco Guaricana, and to achieve financial sustainability from the headquarters. In addition to taking campers on tours and visiting other partner areas.

Over the last ten years, we've noticed that the local interest is in eating, sleeping and then sightseeing, which puts us in third place in terms of demand, and also subject to cancellations due to rain.

Those who invest in moments of so-called well-being also contribute to the sustainability of green areas. Meetings at the ecological stations include breakfast, lunch and day use parking. They are led by experienced guides in remote areas.

Tell us more about the proposed solution of the project.How will it work?

Construction of a 12-meter geodesic in the woods of Eco Guaricana, with a pantry, kitchen and two bathrooms. Installation of the electricity and water structure, plus the BioEte root pit structure. The labor costs will be collaborated on by Grupo Tatu, our group of farm owners and managers.

Placement of stingless bee boxes inside and outside the geodesic, with hives being purchased by Eco Guaricana and the right to install them being transferred to box owners who don't have a farm to keep the hives. Proposed transfer in partnership with Apromel, the São José dos Pinhais Beekeepers Association.

What will be the main activities of the project and how will the resources be applied?

Construction of a 12-meter geodesic tent in the woods of Eco Guaricana, with a pantry, kitchen and two bathrooms. Installation of the electricity and water structure, plus the BioEte root pit structure. The labor costs will be collaborated on by Grupo Tatu, our group of farm owners and managers.

Placement of stingless bee boxes inside and outside the geodesic, with hives being purchased by Eco Guaricana and the right to install them being transferred to box owners who don't have a farm to keep the hives. Proposed transfer in partnership with Apromel, the São José dos Pinhais Beekeepers Association.

Phase 01 acquisition of structural resources; phase 02 management and construction of the geodesic, plus structure for use such as toilets, pantry, kitchen and root pit; phase 03 installation of the bee boxes; phase 04 launch of the Geodesic Camping with the little bees, plus internal and external ecotourism tours (partner areas); phase 05 opening of the store with stingless bee honey products.Projected budget and investment phases: R$ 30 thousand.