The Brazil Ranch is home to the Big Sur Environmental Institute and is one of the most historic ranches along the pristine and famous Big Sur coast. Prized for its ecological values, prime pasturelands and extraordinary beauty, Brazil Ranch is owned by the federal government as part of Los Padres National Forest and managed under the care of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service.

The Brazil Ranch is named after Tony & Margaret Brazil, the family that worked to initially establish the land as a farm, ranch, as well as a dairy operation for nearly a century. In 1977 Allen Funt, the creator of the popular television show “Candid Camera” purchased the land from the Brazil’s and personally built and/or assisted his on-site caretaker, John Moon of Rancho Colera, with the development of the structures and infrastructure currently existing at the ranch today. Upon purchase and development, Mr. Funt maintained the property operations as a working cattle and horse breeding ranch until his death in 1999.  In the year 2000 Woodside Partners (a team of developers) purchased the ranch from Mr. Funt’s estate.

With the assistance of the Trust of Public Land and other partners, Congress acquired Brazil Ranch (located just south of the historic Bixby Bridge) in early 2002. The following excerpt is from Congressman Sam Farr’s website. The excerpt portrays his passion and interest in the Big Sur Coast and the Brazil Ranch property.

“Perhaps one of the most dramatic spots in the Big Sur Coast, Brazil Ranch contains nesting Golden Eagles in the broken redwoods which are said to have been the inspiration for poet Robenson Jeffer’s famous ode ‘Beaks of Eagles.’”

Quotes from Congressman Farr:
“To conclude, I believe President Theodore Roosevelt best explained the measure of a nation that respects its environment when he said, ‘The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value.”

“This is what much of my time in Congress has been about, and it is what I will continue to fight for.”

“I am hopeful that Congress will strengthen its commitment to arts and humanities, reflecting the belief that arts and humanities do more than just offer us entertainment and distraction from turmoil in our lives, they provide insight and perspective, they offer comfort and hope. Arts and humanities give us ways to understand and find meaning in what is happening in our nation, and what has happened centuries ago. Arts and humanities give us ways to share that meaning with our children.” [Published in the Coast Weekly, January 2001.]

Threatened by developments, the Trust of Public Land purchased the property and it was ultimately acquired into the public domain through an Act of Congress. At the same time the USDA Forest Service was given charge of the 1,226-acre historic ranch during the fall of 2002 and assumed fiscal control of the ranch from the Trust for Public Land during the fall of 2003. While collaborating with regional communities and others, the Forest Service drafted the following preliminary goals for the Brazil Ranch:

• Protect the view shed.
• Strengthen local cultures and communities.
• Promote conservation of natural and cultural resources, especially through the arts and humanities.
• Provide seminars and policy forums that foster responsible leadership to address challenges of sustainable land management and cultural integrity.
• Demonstrate conservation strategies through research, training, restoration and education.
• Provide a unique, small-scale conference/retreat/events facility.
• Manage programs and resources on a self-sustaining basis.
• Provide recreational opportunities.

The Forest Service conducted extensive research and community outreach in an effort to develop a vision and mission for the property. Visits to the ranch by key constituencies and potential partners resulted in productive exchanges of ideas and feedback. A visioning process resulted in the following five potential scenarios:

• A working ranch.
• A multiple use institute.
• A progressive policy and academic institute.
• An arts and humanities center.

After careful consideration, the Forest Service developed an amalgamation of these scenarios that emphasized the creation of an event and meeting facility for the purpose of exploring the intersect between natural resources management with the arts and humanities. At the time the “working name” for this vision became the EarthArts Institute at Brazil Ranch.

In order to more fully realize the next steps towards meeting the goals of their vision, the Forest Service created a not-for-profit organization called the Brazil Ranch Environmental Center. Once realized, the Center fine-tuned its mission to become a world-class conferencing institute and changed its name to the Big Sur Environmental Institute (BSEI).

BSEI will use the Brazil Ranch primarily for education programs on issues related to environmental conservation, stewardship and sustainability. BSEI will fulfill its educational mission by: attracting, managing, or convening influential dialogues addressing policy and technology related to local, regional, national and international stewardship of the environment by inviting world leaders in policy formulation, research, advocacy and the practice of natural and cultural resources conservation and restoration to convene in a world-class retreat and conference center. Some have called the Brazil Ranch the “Camp David” for the environment.

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