WHY WE EXIST
Because some responsibilities must outlive people, projects, and markets.
Foundation Terra Agora was created to answer a simple but urgent question: how can land be cared for when ownership changes, families disperse, or pressures intensify? The Foundation exists so care does not depend on any single person or moment.
MISSION
Our purpose: To cultivate a new relationship with the earth: from owners to guardians.
Our mission: Transform our relationship with land into one of perpetual conservation and regeneration under the leadership of local guardians.
THE TEAM
A multidisciplinary team holding continuity, not control.
Ivan Sellers
Simon Knoop
Susana Carvalho
António Araújo
Luana Tomé
Filipe Alves
Pedro Rocha Vieira
João Brites
BOARDS & GOVERNANCE
Independent oversight designed for trust and durability.
Alfredo Sendim
António Vasconcelos
Claudian Dobos
Daniel C. Wahl
Evgenia Emets
Gil Penha-Lopes
Katharina Serafimova
Mar Michelle Hausler
Paulo de Carvalho
Ruth de Andrade
Tobias Rhis
Vasco Gaspar
Virgílio Varela
Technical Council
André Vizinho
Carlos Aguiar
João Palma
Fiscal Council
Ricardo Correia
Rita Nunes
Samuel Lucas
STATUTES & PUBLIC COMMITMENTS
The statutes ensure these commitments continue even if the Foundation were to change or dissolve.
Holding land, care, and responsibility across time.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t find an answer, just send us a message.
Why did you choose a foundation structure rather than an association, cooperative, or company?
A foundation offers legal permanence, asset‑locks, and independence from individual members, shareholders, or founders. This structure ensures land and purpose cannot be redirected, sold, or captured if people, finances, or circumstances change. It is the most robust vehicle available for intergenerational stewardship.
What happens to the land if the Foundation were ever to fail financially or dissolve?
The Foundation’s statutes include binding provisions that ensure protected land cannot return to speculation. In dissolution scenarios, land must be transferred to another entity bound by the same mission, asset‑lock, and guardianship principles. The land remains protected regardless of the Foundation’s operational continuity.
Who ultimately controls decisions about land?
No single person, donor, Guardian, or institution controls land decisions. Authority is deliberately distributed across statutory governance bodies, legal safeguards, and oversight mechanisms. Guardians care for land in practice, but the Foundation retains ultimate custodial responsibility to protect purpose and continuity.
How do you prevent donors or funders from influencing land use or governance?
Funding and decision‑making are structurally separated. Donors have no operational or governance control over land, Guardianship Agreements, or strategic decisions. Ethical financing rules, conflict‑of‑interest policies, and independent oversight bodies prevent financial capture or influence.