We are working to crowdfund to complete the purchase of this land, and to begin the next phase of bringing the Rural School of Arts and The People’s Forest to life.
For this we are working to raise £900,000 made up from donations; Seed donations, of £200 each; Dreamer donations, of larger and smaller sums; and Partnerships, with aligned individuals and organisations who would like to see the vision flourish.
For The Peoples Forest
£500,000, or 2500 seeds will bring into collective guardianship 24 hectares of wild land, saving it from being turned into an industrial farming landscape, and providing a home for the school. Needed by April 2026
For The Rural School of Arts
£400,000, or 2000 seeds to commence the living crafts programme and build initial guest spaces for the school
Supporters
In July 2025 the project received support of 44 donors. Enabling the raise of £90,000 securing the land from being presented to developers.
Seeds needed for the land acquisition of The People’s Forest (updated weekly)
2490 people make a £200 seed donation
We have now raised a total of 460 seeds (from the initial 3000 seeds needed)
Seeds
Many seeds plant a forest. A donation of £200 buys a single seed, moving us one step closer to the Rural School of Arts and the People’s Forest.
Dreamers
An invitation to dream with us. We welcome donations large and small on the journey to making this vision a reality. With every dream donation we move closer to the future we envision for this land.
Partnerships
We welcome alignment with individuals and organisations who share our values, and who would like to see the vision flourish.
Contact : ilhaandus@protonmail.me
Donations
All donations will be received by ILha ltd 16577859, a not-for-profit company registered in England and Wales, established in service to the vision of the Rural School of Arts & The People’s Forest. We are currently in the process of setting up a Portuguese Association to parter with the UK company. All amounts received are in service of the vision. In the event that we are not able to reach our target by Spring 2026, all donors will have the choice on whether their donation is returned to them, or used to create the Rural School of Arts in a new iteration.
How these initial funds will be used
Year one expenditure
Year 1 (2026)
Total: £731,000
Land Acquisition€500,000 Remaining amount needed to buy the land (April 2026)
Guest Space Build: Materials + Teaching £100,000 Elemental guest space construction beginning of Living Crafts programme teaching fees
Specialist Design & Build £20,000 Design & specialist construction time
Culinary / Soil-to-Soul Program£10,000 Chef catering, herb garden planting, soil-to-soul program
Infrastructure £30,000 Water storage, paths, access, equipment
Ecological Stewardship £20,000 Lower scrub clearance
Marketing & Storytelling £5,000 Early brand development
Sacred Route Mapping £5,000 Mapping sacred experience trails
Videography. £5,000 Filming workshops & programs
Renewable Energy Systems £36,000 Off-grid sustainable infrastructure
Year two Expenditure
Year 2 (2027)
Total: £169,000
Ecological Stewardship £15,000 Lower scrub clearance
Cultural Integration £25,000 Village cultural programme and harvest celebrations
Living Craft Teaching Programme. £48,000 Specialist teachers: stonemasons, carpenters, craft masters
Main Learning House Materials £38,000 Materials for teaching house rebuild
Specialist Design & Build £23,000 Design and guest space build time
Marketing £5,000 Outreach & brand growth
Videography £5,000 Documentation
Culinary / Soil-to-Soul £10,000 Chef + craft food programme
This region in Portugal currently has a unique pastoral landscape and stands at a threshold of change. The land prices in this part of Portugal have hugely increased in the last 3 years, because of its fertile soils, micro climate and access to water. As a result the price of land is now favouring industrial farming investors. Or large scale solar projects led by oil companies.
In the region developers are valuing land at 35 Thousand Euros per hectare. We were able to negotiate a lower price of 25 Thousand per hectare. The land measures 24 hectares, including, two ruins with licences, water wells a river and a range of habitats, from rocky outcrops, native forest, of cork oak, oak and ash to flat pasture land.
context to land prices
Seed Stories:
I have donated to this project:
“because it is a unique possibility to save and ancient landscape”
I have donated to this project:
“because it is exactly what should be focused on in the world right now”
I have donated to this project:
“to offer a seed in memory of my grandmother. So her memory can become part of the People’s Forest”