Owner gave up pasture area to plant native trees

 Luciano Zanesco became a partner in the Projeto Verde Novo sponsored by Petrobras through the Petrobras Socio-environmental program run by Associação Ambientalista Copaíba for 9 years. From the third generation of the family, the owner who was born and raised in Bairro dos Nogueiras, Municipality of Socorro, says that the property has always had a large pasture area. Together with his brother Luis, he sought the support of the project to restore the property. “Where the trees were planted there was no vegetation, there was a path for the cattle and in the dry season the water from the spring, which we have on the property, decreased a lot”, comments Luciano.

In an area of more than 14,000m², 2,500 seedlings of native Atlantic Forest trees were planted, donated by the project and free technical support. Today the coffee producer reaps the benefits of forest restoration: “It was very good! Both for the improvement of water and for the animals. Now we see more animals, the number of birds has increased, we have also seen Coatis in the middle of the forest. The landowner sometimes doesn't want to lose a grazing area for fear of being harmed, I don't think so! He won't lose, he'll win. Taking care of the spring will have even better water to feed the cattle”.

Luciano’s nephew, Pedro, 17, also tells about the changes he noticed on the property after the restoration and the importance of conserving the forests: “We are seeing climate change happening, preserving nature is important not only for taking care of it, it is important for the generations, to maintain the quality of life, to keep the human species alive”.

Learn more about this and other stories from Verde Novo through the series of videos released by Copaíba on social networks (facebook, instagram and youtube), search for aacopaíba. Also visit the project website: www.copaiba.org.br/verdenovo/.