The Government, through the Regional Secretariat of the Environment and the Sea (SRAM), and STIHL promote a training course for the workers of several organisations in the area of environmental recovery on São Miguel (SRAM, Azorina, SPEA, among others) from August 27 to September 2. This initiative also comprises an artistic chainsaw woodcarving demonstration by the internationally renowned French artist, Emmanuel Courtot; the event is addressed at the public in general.
The Furnas Monitoring and Research Centre (CMIF) is the headquarters of an ecological recovery project promoted by the SRAM that aims to enhance the Furnas protected landscape heritage and assure the quality and safety of its works and the actions carried out in the area of environmental recovery. This training course is intended to provide its workers with the knowledge and the most technologically advanced working techniques, particularly at the level of safety and maintenance of various equipments (chainsaws, clearing saws, light brushcutters, earth augers, blowers, among others) with the purpose of improving safety standards and the response capacity in environmental recovery interventions.
With the purpose of promoting art, culture and environmental awareness, the Regional Government invites all citizens to visit that centre and attend a "live" demonstration by Emmanuel Courtot, who will turn the wood of dead trees or invasive species into harmonious works of art with a chainsaw.
Inside the CMIF, citizens may find information on the ecosystem of Furnas Crater Lake as well as on the work that has been carried out towards the recovery of the water quality of that Crater Lake. Furthermore, citizens will also have the possibility of having a closer contact with the interventions carried out by experts on the field to reduce the amount of nutrients that flow to the lake as well as with the actions carried out to change the soil use, adapting it to the equilibrium of the new Furnas Crater Lake ecosystem.
The training course and the WoodCarving demonstration by the STIHL professional and artist will take place during next. The most important events under this initiative will be held on the first weekend of September by the CMIF premises on the southern shore of Furnas Crater Lake, 250 metres after the Nossa Senhora das Vitórias Chapel.
Admission to the WoodCarving event is free; all citizens are invited to witness the beauty of this art by arriving at the spot via the south regional road where they will be welcomed by a "Gandalf" sculpture, the first to be made during last year's event at the picnic park by the car park.
These initiatives are the result of an exemplary partnership between the company A.S. Maia, representative of STIHL and VIKING on São Miguel, and the Regional Government through the Furnas Monitoring and Research Centre.