Campo Grande man has used improvised tree shelter for more than a decade

Mauro Dreger da Silva, 53, collects recyclable materials for a living and says he prefers to stay in a shelter near the Córrego Segredo stream.

In Campo Grande, the capital of Brazil’s Mato Grosso do Sul state, 53-year-old Mauro Dreger da Silva has built a place to sleep among the branches of a tree beside the Córrego Segredo stream. The structure is made from wooden pallets, blankets and fabric. During the day, he collects recyclable materials and takes temporary jobs.

Local outlets Campo Grande News and Correio do Estado reported that Silva has used the shelter since 2021. He moved from São Paulo to the city with his parents about 40 years ago. After they died, he was left without housing or close relatives nearby. He has lived in improvised shelters elsewhere in the city before.

Silva told local media that when storms come, he sometimes waits them out at a friend’s nearby home. He mainly uses the structure for sleeping and has no current plans to move, according to the interview recounted by local outlets.