São Paulo – Quinta da Estância Grande farm, in Viamão, Rio Grande do Sul, was established in 1992 to show children how the ecosystem works. Nowadays, however, the space offers more than reproduction of the animal world. The farm is a place for contact with nature and a small laboratory showing what it is necessary to do to make use of natural resources without destroying them. On the 100 hectare property, on which over 2,000 animals live, nature gets back everything that it offers to visitors and residents.
Many of the animals on Quinta da Estância were born there or got there after the Federal Police seized wild animals that were to be turned to trade. Among the toucans, macaws, capybaras, parrots and alligators that live on the property, 28 kilometres away from Porto Alegre, many were generated in the first conservationist breeding grounds of the country, established in 1995. Most of those born there are of species that are faced with extinction. Apart from seeing these animals in the breeding grounds, it is possible to observe them a little closer while on some tours, like the hike to a river spring.
All carbon emissions by Quinta da Estância have been neutralized since 2007. According to the market relations director, Rafael Sittoni Goelzer, the property issues on average 140 tonnes of carbon a year.
“All we issue is accounted for by a registered company. Our calculations include the trips of people who come here by aeroplane, the emissions of school busses, water and electric energy consumption, my travels and the emissions of our tractors,” said Sittoni.
Emissions are neutralized through the plantation of trees within the property. These plants remove CO2 from nature. Apart from neutralizing carbon emissions, Quinta da Estância recycles solid waste, treats sewage and returns it to nature as well as transforming organic waste into fertilizer.
The farm is a signatory of the Global Compact, an initiative by the United Nations (UN) that brings together 380 companies and organisations and proposes the aligning of business with ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and the fight against corruption. The project includes companies that provide incentives to the respect of diversity and to the development and promotion of eco-friendly technologies.
The farm is also among those participating in the Caring for Climate (C4C), a group of signatories of the Global Compact that meets and presents solutions to fight global warming. In Brazil, the farm is the only tourist destination that has signed the Global Compact.
Although the property has a few heads of cattle and produces food, its focus is “pedagogical tourism”. Today, it shows visitors how to preserve the environment, but when it was created by Sittoni’s mother, Sônia Goelzer, the company owner, the objective was different. Sônia was a state school teacher and, in 1992, started taking her students to experience on her 1.5 hectare property what they learnt about plants and animals in their classes. Ever since, the demand for this kind of outing has grown and diversified. The public has also changed.
Today, 40% of visitors are students and 40% are companies that take their employees there for training and celebrations. The remaining visitors are families, groups of elders and groups of foreigners. In 1992, the farm received 1,500 people. In 2010, there were 75,000 people. Most of the visitors were Brazilians, from Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, Santa Catarina, São Paulo and the Federal District. Foreigners also showed interest in the site. From Uruguay, even schools take students there. Europeans and even a group of South-Korean diplomats have already been there. For this reason, the farm has monitors who speak Spanish, English and French, as well as Portuguese.
To visit Quinta da Estância you must be accompanied. Daily visits are from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm with three meals, and prices start at 69 Brazilian reals (US$ 39) per person, but in some cases, school groups can get discounts. It is also possible to spend the night at the site. To visit the farm during the day, it is necessary to form a group of 12 people. For packages including night stays, it is necessary to have a group of at least 25. All groups are guided by an exclusive monitor.
Service
Quinta da Estância
Tel.: (+55 51) 3444-2655
Site: www.quinta-da-estancia.com.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
