The controversial construction of

a luxury condominium at the

Arado Velho Farm
The Arado Velho (Old Plow) Farm is in danger. An environmental area
of more than 400 hectares, located at the southern end of Porto
Alegre, in the Belm Novo neighborhood, was bought by the
developer Damha in partnership with the company Arado-
Empreendimentos Imobilirios S.A, for the construction of a luxury
condominium. This project aims to build three closed condominiums
in the flat area of the farm, adding more than two thousand houses.
As the farm is a very low area, it would require the grounding of 200
hectares - consuming more than 1 million cubic meters of land.

Aerial image of the Arado Velho Farm during the flood season. Photo: Movement
Preserva Arado

A group of residents, outraged by the situation, decided to create the

Preserva Arado (Preserve Plow) project for the conservation of the
farm. The group aims to carry out actions that enable the
preservation of the environmental, cultural, archaeological, historical
and social heritage of the Belm Novo neighborhood. A place with
unique characteristics and that deserves to be preserved in the
widest possible way.
According to Michele Rodrigues, a lawyer and one of the founders of
the project, this construction would be unsustainable due to the
environmental impacts that it would have in the region, such as the
invasion of the Guaba waters (the area serves as impoundments of
rainwater), sensitive ecosystem with endangered animals and also
invades a region, breaking important social and cultural aspects. Still,
according to Preserva, there would be an increase of at least 5,000
vehicles transiting in the neighbourhood and region, grounding of
large areas of floodplains and plains (prohibited by law) and would
irreversibly damage the fauna and flora of the neighbourhood. The
area fulfils extremely important environmental functions: rainwater
purification, air purification and temperature control, refuge for
hundreds of species of animals including fish, alligators, capybaras,
otters, river rats, hedgehogs, graxains, etc. There is also the historical
and cultural importance of the farm region, where there was an
archaeological site of pre-colonial Guarani culture, registered at IPHAN
(Institute of National Historic and Artistic Heritage) as "of high
relevance". The artefacts were tested with carbon-14 by a French
archaeologist and are about 600 years old. After this discovery, the
owners of the farm prohibited the entrance of people to the area of
the site; Culturally outstanding activities that the farm presented in its
recent past could also be resumed such as artisanal fishing, cattle and
sheep farming and water sports.
During the 1930s, Breno Caldas, former owner of the Correio do Povo
newspapers, bought the current area of the Arado Velho and built a
farm. There was cattle breeding and even English Thoroughbred
horses. Rumor has it that the American president John F. Kennedy
would have visited the farm to buy one of the horses, as well as Chico
Anysio.

Guarani artefacts found in the archaeological site. Foto: Matheus Piccini/Movimento

Preserva Arado
Horse harness regional tradition. Photo: unknown

The construction of the condominiums was not in accordance with the

Master Plan until its change, without a public hearing, in 2015. The
PCLE 005/15 Bill, created by the Porto Alegre City Hall, changed the
Plan in the area of the farm. It was approved by the City Council on
October 5, 2015. On November 20, the City Council sanctioned the
law, giving rise to Complementary Law 780/2015 - the law that
"radically changed the urban regime of the farm", Michele said.
After several judicial battles and several obstacles over the course of
two years, the group decided, with the help of the Critical
Environment Collective, made up of UFRGS students, to take the case
to the Public Prosecutor's Office. After analysis and investigation, the
Ministry noted that several standards were not being met in
accordance with Environmental Legislation and the issue that there
was no public hearing to change the area's urban regime, and filed a
public civil action in February. The Justice acknowledged a vice in
Complementary Law 780/2015 that increased the constructive index
in the area of the farm and suspended at first the effectiveness of the
law. Now the lawsuit is with the town attorney, who will probably
appeal the ruling.

Preserva Arado movement logo, with Breno Caldass mansion highlited.

The proposal of Preserva Belm Novo and Preserva Arado would be

the creation of a conservation unit for public use in the Arado Velho
Farm, as a Natural Park or an Environmental Protection Area. Thus
preserving its qualities, combining education, research, ecological
tourism and recreation, allowing the population's access to this
unique and irreplaceable place.

A inteno do movimento tornar a rea um local para o ecoturismo, aberto para o

pblico. Imagem: Movimento Preserva Arado