The Francis of Assisi Park, also known as the “Kennel of Lavras”, located in the city of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, has dedicated for the last eight years a voluntary service of protection to the Kingdoms of Nature. Its solidary actions of protection to animals have transcended frontiers. With the same love, they have a work dedicated to the Plant Kingdom, which can be observed in the whole extension of the park.
What is not as evident to the naked eye, but has inspired institutions concerned with the topic, both on a national and on an international level, is the environmental sanitation and the waste treatment that for seven years has been done in association with UFLA (Federal University of Lavras) in the facilities of the park. This has awakened the interest of different sectors to know the project and adapt this model to their locality. The most recent example was that of the City Hall of Sao Bernardo do Campo, Sao Paulo, who was present by means of the environmental manager of that entity, Gilberto Marson.
Willingness to share
In the mid-morning of November 12, Monday, as was appointed, the director of environmental management of the City Hall of Sao Bernardo do Campo, Mr. Gilberto Marson, was present in the facilities of the Francis of Assisi Park, to learn about its operation and all environmental activities that have been conducted there. He was received by the coordinators of the area, Augulucia Martins, Lenilze Rezende, and Patricia Miranda Reis, who immediately created a pleasant atmosphere where the spontaneous conversation emerged.
Offering all their experience throughout these years, the coordinators transmitted information, especially about the kennel. In this way, the director was informed in detail from the administrative aspect of maintenance to the logistics of the operative sector, which is in itself the process of attention to the dogs, which is carried out by volunteers. Facilitating the first part of Mr. Marson’s research, they answered all the questions he made.
Environmental sanitation
Since the beginning of its implementation, the teacher Camila Silva has been in charge of the project of environmental sanitation, besides being the link between the Engineering Department of UFLA and the Francis of Assisi Park. As the coordinator of the project, she transmitted to Mr. Marson all the related information.
In a broad explanation, teacher Camila Silva conveyed that the objective of the project is to treat all waste generated in the park, thus avoiding contamination of the environment and benefitting public health. She referred to the residues of the waters that derive from the cleaning of the stalls and the need to route or treat them. She explained that this was developed in several stages, according to what the constant monitoring indicated, always with the aim of improving the system and taking into account the pertinent environmental legislation. Concerning solid waste, she commented that from it a compost is obtained for use in gardens and orchards of the park, supported by previous chemical analysis in which it was detected the compost was adequate for this use.
Teacher Camila Silva, besides the information she transmitted, gave to Mr. Marson a bulletin recently created by UFLA, detailing the whole project. She asserted it was written in a simple language. It will be available for interested people or entities.
A guided walk
With a favorable climate, and once concluded the conversation, it was seen as advisable to walk in the facilities of the park. Therefore, the group began the walk under the guidance of the coordinators and the teacher. The coordinators brought Mr. Marson to the stalls, where he was received by the healthy dogs, then the healing sector was shown, with the surgery room, the infirmary, and the pharmacy. Thus, having the opportunity of watching the green areas of the park, where there are recreational sectors for the animals, and also where banana trees are located, the first stage was concluded.
The second phase followed, assumed by the teacher, who directed Mr. Marson to the sector of the aerial and underwater biological filter. Teacher Camila Silva commented that the system was built with tanks of fiberglass, containing gravel as supporting material, to facilitate the cultivation of vetiver grass, a variety that contributes to control soil erosion and maintains or improves the quality of the waters. Once there, Mr. Marson attentively heard the explanations of the teacher, with the ensuing new dialogs and clarifications.
The exercise of unconditional love
Mr. Marson, satisfied and visibly touched, manifested a clear intention of duplicating this model of park as a project for his city. “I can only believe in this, now much more than before, I want to build, together with the protectors, with the Public Ministry, and share responsibility, and make a census without a doubt”, he expressed. After that, giving continuity to the welcome, and to seal this encounter, the coordinators offered a special vegetarian lunch, elaborated by them, which was accepted with pleasure and warmly praised. Also, the support in all attention given was thanked, which once again is an evidence of the greatest goal of this institution: the exercise of unconditional love.
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