Cueva Mariposa

Cueva Mariposa Sanctuary and Self Reliance Land project 


Hi. I am Marcus Lucas. An Englishman in Granada. As a young boy my heart had always been with nature and helping people to be the best they can be. I was born and bred in the east end of London, where luckily enough i had a lot of green space around me, which helped me to thrive. I could go on and and tell you about "my sad life story", most of us have one, but I won't. I am grateful of that journey as its brought me here as I am today. A student of the natural world, an educator and creative, artistically minded, who's ambition is to live in peace and give love in the world with a massive emphasis on/with nature. - I was fortunate enough to have met people that were likeminded, they had green fingers or they loved animals like I did. i learnt a lot.


I have been dreaming and creating a plan in my mind since I was that young lad, and what my dream for the future would be. The plan was never just for me. It always involved others. Humanity and the Natural world. I never wanted money or fame. I wanted to create spaces for people to enjoy and learn, to heal, to love. And to protect nature and enhance it in the process. My spaces didn't have a visible TV. They have books, music, art material. Lights and candles. Water and flora. Creating a creative environment to connect with each other or with ourselves. 


Now I have the property and the land. The passion and the skills. 
What I need most of all now is an injection of love from the community, to help me make this dream a reality. Oh and of course some donations.


From these donations I will be able to purchase materials for renovating the house and things like a ploytunel for growing plants all year round. I am in desperate need of hand tools and machinery. Materials for fencing and making the gardens safe and secure for all, and below I will go in to more detail. 


The ECO Mariposa Plan

This is the main plot of growing space, with a lower tier below with a barn.

The plan is to create gardens for education, and food. Self Sufficiency and craft projects will be a daily event. To build what we can from the land. Learning and teaching each other as we go. But first I need the basics to get that project underway. As you can see there is nothing there at present. 

I want to eventually have a few grow houses for controlled growing spaces, but first of all we need one larger Ploytunnel to grow most of what we need as seedlings and to raise plants for growing out on the land for use in the main house. 


What are we about?

We have a few cave rooms in the main house for volunteers and we provide meals during their stay with us. The idea is that WWOOFers and Helpstayers come to stay with us for an allocated period of time and they share their skills on the land or in the main house. 


The Project

A land based skills exchange. Where people come together to create from the land. 

Why crowdfund?

We spent most of the money we had on the land and cave house. There is some cash left for materials and living costs for a period . Until the house has been renovated we are unable to rent out any spaces and earn a living. 


Your Impact

Any contribution you make will go straight into the project, wether it be volunteering or a cash donation. You will be sent regular updates on where the donations and Skills are being best utilised. 


Other ways you can help

- By volunteering your time and skills to our projects.
- Spreading the word, via social media or word of mouth.
- Advice and Skills exchange.
- Donations of tools, seeds, materials, Links etc.


In exchange for donations we are able to offer you rewards as a way of saying thank you, in what ever form they come;

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you are able to help us.

Marcus Lucas