Executive leaves the financial market, swaps reports for a forest, and transforms the area into a refuge in the Atlantic Forest with birds, native trees, and free wildlife.

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 25/03/2026 at 13:57

Updated on 27/03/2026 at 23:55

Be the first to react!

After 45 years in large companies, Peter Estermann swapped the financial market for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest in Lumiar, where he already monitors 230 species

Peter Estermann exchanged, at the end of 2025, the routine of 45 years leading large companies for a conservation project in Lumiar, a district of Nova Friburgo, in Rio de Janeiro, where he restores the Atlantic Forest and monitors 230 species.

From the presidency to the refuge in Lumiar

After a career in large companies and the financial market, Peter Estermann decided to change his life.

The former executive began dedicating his days to birdwatching and preserving the Atlantic Forest in Lumiar, a district of Nova Friburgo.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Change began before retirement

The transition to birdwatching and conservation began to be outlined four years before the official retirement, which occurred at the end of 2025.

The decision, according to Peter, resonates with childhood experiences and the continuity of that bond.

Originally from northern Mato Grosso and trained in agronomy, he started his career in agribusiness. Later, he worked in the polymer transformation industry, wood, health, and retail, ending the cycle as an executive in the financial area.

In the mornings of reflection, Peter said, the idea of entering the birdwatching activity emerged. He mentioned that the environment in Lumiar was very positive for this.

Project combines restoration in the Atlantic Forest and monitored fauna

The refuge in Lumiar is not just contemplative. In an area equivalent to a parking lot for 2,500 cars, Peter has already planted more than 1,500 native fruit trees to attract fauna and strengthen the Atlantic Forest.

The monitoring cameras recorded the presence of margay, nine-banded armadillo, coati, and black-eared opossum on the property.

Among the birds, he highlights the white-throated hummingbird, the swallow tanager, and the rare garden araponga.

The white-throated hummingbird can flap its wings up to 40 times per second. The swallow tanager, with its vibrant blue, has been compared to the Brazilian national team’s uniform. The garden araponga has been described as an enigma of the forests.

Daily care and new idea of gain

Peter also adopts specific care in the management of the animals. He uses glass waterers to avoid fungi and bacteria, as well as special bases that prevent access by ants and bees. The water is changed every day.

Today, the old logic of profitability has been replaced by another measure. Peter transformed his passion into a small inn focused on welcoming and connecting with nature. For him, the greatest gain happens when these visitors arrive.

In advocating for the preservation and recovery of degraded areas, Peter summarizes the new meaning of his routine. In the Atlantic Forest, the growth of a tree has become more valuable than any market fluctuation, and the chorus of birds has become his important asset.

With information from G1.

0 Comments

most recent

older Most voted

Executive leaves the financial market, swaps reports for a forest, and transforms the area into a refuge in the Atlantic Forest with birds, native trees, and free wildlife.

After 45 years in large companies, Peter Estermann swapped the financial market for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest in Lumiar, where he already monitors 230 species

From the presidency to the refuge in Lumiar

Change began before retirement

Project combines restoration in the Atlantic Forest and monitored fauna

Daily care and new idea of gain

Libya built over 4,000 kilometers of underground pipelines to bring water from the Sahara to coastal cities in a project that the government itself called the Eighth Wonder of the World.

Desert sand, previously discarded for being too smooth for concrete, becomes an ecological brick in the United Arab Emirates, dispensing with Portland cement, curing at room temperature, and attempting to transform dunes useless for construction into raw material for a new arid engineering.

He transformed an abandoned plastic water tank into an underground house in the “hobbit hole” style, using only repurposed pallet wood, without heavy machinery or expensive labor.

Chinese woman planted trees for decades while sand buried part of her house, received $5,000 from an American in 1999, and helped transform the desert into a forest of 8 million trees in China.

Toyota launches “family hybrid van” with 7 or 8 seats, 1.8 hybrid engine, fuel consumption of up to 23.8 km/l, and a price equivalent to about R$ 104,000 without taxes, below the Tiggo 8 Pro Plug-in Hybrid sold in Brazil: meet the Noah Hybrid 2026 in Japan.

Almost 6,000 residents live concentrated along a single street nearly 9 km long in the interior of Poland. Houses form a continuous row, and behind them, narrow agricultural strips emerge, creating one of the most unusual rural patterns in Europe.

Described by astronauts as one of the most unlikely natural phenomena on Earth, the Okavango Delta spreads over up to 15,000 square kilometers in the middle of the desert and transforms Botswana into a living labyrinth of channels, islands, and flooded areas.

An entire sea disappeared from the map: the Aral Sea, formerly the fourth largest lake on the planet, lost more than 90% of its area in a few decades and left behind a toxic desert where fishing boats rust over 100 km from the water that once supported entire cities.

13-year-old Indian girl impresses the world by leading the planting of 200,000 trees in over 120 locations and gaining international recognition while still in childhood.

Coral reefs gain new hope after scientists identify 165,000 km² with potential to resist heat in 71 countries, serve as living recovery banks, and protect food, jobs, and coastlines of nearly 1 billion people under climate threat.

Mother of 4 children started as a salesperson and became the owner of 4 franchises: Pamela Oliveira took over the first unit, saw the revenue more than double, and turned a busy routine into proof that motherhood and business can grow together with organization.

Executive leaves the financial market, swaps reports for a forest, and transforms the area into a refuge in the Atlantic Forest with birds, native trees, and free wildlife.

After 45 years in large companies, Peter Estermann swapped the financial market for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest in Lumiar, where he already monitors 230 species

From the presidency to the refuge in Lumiar

Change began before retirement

Project combines restoration in the Atlantic Forest and monitored fauna

Daily care and new idea of gain

Libya built over 4,000 kilometers of underground pipelines to bring water from the Sahara to coastal cities in a project that the government itself called the Eighth Wonder of the World.

Desert sand, previously discarded for being too smooth for concrete, becomes an ecological brick in the United Arab Emirates, dispensing with Portland cement, curing at room temperature, and attempting to transform dunes useless for construction into raw material for a new arid engineering.

He transformed an abandoned plastic water tank into an underground house in the “hobbit hole” style, using only repurposed pallet wood, without heavy machinery or expensive labor.

Chinese woman planted trees for decades while sand buried part of her house, received $5,000 from an American in 1999, and helped transform the desert into a forest of 8 million trees in China.

Toyota launches “family hybrid van” with 7 or 8 seats, 1.8 hybrid engine, fuel consumption of up to 23.8 km/l, and a price equivalent to about R$ 104,000 without taxes, below the Tiggo 8 Pro Plug-in Hybrid sold in Brazil: meet the Noah Hybrid 2026 in Japan.

Almost 6,000 residents live concentrated along a single street nearly 9 km long in the interior of Poland. Houses form a continuous row, and behind them, narrow agricultural strips emerge, creating one of the most unusual rural patterns in Europe.

Described by astronauts as one of the most unlikely natural phenomena on Earth, the Okavango Delta spreads over up to 15,000 square kilometers in the middle of the desert and transforms Botswana into a living labyrinth of channels, islands, and flooded areas.

An entire sea disappeared from the map: the Aral Sea, formerly the fourth largest lake on the planet, lost more than 90% of its area in a few decades and left behind a toxic desert where fishing boats rust over 100 km from the water that once supported entire cities.

Mother of 4 children started as a salesperson and became the owner of 4 franchises: Pamela Oliveira took over the first unit, saw the revenue more than double, and turned a busy routine into proof that motherhood and business can grow together with organization.

Majestic castles of Slovakia reveal UNESCO heritage, the setting of Nosferatu, and medieval legends

Goodbye, iron gates: rain, sun, and moisture-resistant alternative combines low maintenance and modern look for facades

Children give more meaning to life, but not more happiness: study with over 5,500 people in 10 countries reveals surprising discovery about well-being, relationships, and the true impact of parenting throughout life.

An entire sea disappeared from the map: the Aral Sea, formerly the fourth largest lake on the planet, lost more than 90% of its area in a few decades and left behind a toxic desert where fishing boats rust over 100 km from the water that once supported entire cities.

13-year-old Indian girl impresses the world by leading the planting of 200,000 trees in over 120 locations and gaining international recognition while still in childhood.

Coral reefs gain new hope after scientists identify 165,000 km² with potential to resist heat in 71 countries, serve as living recovery banks, and protect food, jobs, and coastlines of nearly 1 billion people under climate threat.

Mother of 4 children started as a salesperson and became the owner of 4 franchises: Pamela Oliveira took over the first unit, saw the revenue more than double, and turned a busy routine into proof that motherhood and business can grow together with organization.