Co Founder

Clare is the owner and guardian of the land, she and holds the vision for Monte da Vida, whilst also managing the overall running of the project.

Clare grew up next to an ancient woodland in rural England and has loved forests from an early age. She believes that planting trees is the solution to most of the world’s practical problems.

After some years working as an administrator in the arts, a yoga teacher, massage therapist, and event organising she chose to return to rural life. She started looking for a place to plant some roots while also doing a Permaculture course and volunteering on farms and herbal medicine projects in different parts of the world.

Clare has been actively supporting a community reforestation and indigenous food forest project in Ecuador for many years, and in 2012 founded Earthlife, with the intention of creating a support vehicle for regenerative and community led reforestation projects.

She is a natural researcher, and has done extensive study in the fields of spirituality, ecology, consciousness, alternative economies, regenerative business, systemic change, permaculture, agroforestry, indigenous wisdom, food and health. Her excitement lies in finding the balance between the path of meditation (inner transformation) and of conscious action in the world, and in the recognition that really there is no inner and outer, and its all the same thing.

In 2018 she began developing the “Forest Alchemy” range of vibrational essences, made in collaboration with the trees at Monte da Vida, and wild aromatic plant distillations. In 2022 she qualified as a Flower Essence practitioner with a Diploma in “Quantum Botanicals” from the School of Natural Medicine, UK.

Clare is currently studying for a diploma in Healing Diets, whilst developing the first products in a range of health-focused nutrient-dense packaged foods from the Monte da Vida forest farm.

Clare also teaches Qigong and Taoist breathing techniques, and sometimes offers workshops in connecting with plants, and making flower essences.

Since arriving on the land in south-west Portugal in 2013, she is continually grateful for this opportunity to live her passions and to have the space to discover new ones.

https://planetofpossibilities.com/clare/

Co Founder

Servan is co-founder of Monte da Vida, where he works on and maintains the long term vision of the overall architecture, including ecological building design, off-grid infrastructure, product financial planning and land water management.

With over 30 years of experience running small and medium-sized companies at the CEO and Chairman level, Servan has developed a dynamic process approach to project team development. His passion lies at the intersection of technical architectures and social systems—exploring how complex systems interrelate and influence one another.

Beyond his corporate background, Servan has extensive experience in group facilitation and is a long-term meditation practitioner. He teaches Tai Chi and Qigong, and has trained in other Chinese martial arts including the esoteric internal style of Ba Gua and the more external Wing Chun. He has led groups focused on developing authentic presence, and offers coaching at both personal and executive levels.

Servan balances his technical work—which now includes development for a new independent game studio—with physical training and hands-on building and land development projects at Monte da Vida.

In his free time, he loves to play the piano.

Coming soon...