"The Eucalyptus Planter: the Forest Preservation Matter in Brazil and the Documental Rescue of the Legacy of Edmundo Navarro de Andrade" / "O plantador de eucaliptos: a questão da preservação florestal no Brasil e o resgate documental do legado de Edmundo Navarro de Andrade"

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2004

RESUMO

This work aims to retrieve the historical, documental and scientific record of Edmundo Navarro de Andrade, a scientist employed in 1904 by the Companhia Paulista de Estradas de Ferro do Estado de São Paulo in order to determine which variety of tree could be better used for supplying coal to locomotives and wood for railroad ties. Navarro began his work in Jundiaí, where he organized the first of eighteen forest farms he set up for the Companhia. By comparing many native and exotic species, his researches established that Eucalyptus trees would be the best alternative, not only for providing coal and railway ties, but for allowing the reforestation of destroyed portions of the native forest as well. Among Navarro’s most notable scientifical legacies are the worldly unique Museum of the Eucalyptus, which details the scientist’s work, and the Herbarium, that houses certain preciosities such as a collection of exsiccates, a gift by Joseph Henry Maiden brought from Australia. The documental evidence on Navarro’s 37 year period as director of the Serviço Flrestal da Companhia Paulista remains on his old headquarters: the Forest Farm of Rio Claro, where he carried out his experiments on genetic improvements and entomology, and wrote many books on these subjects. In 1941, Navarro’s year of death, almost 100 million eucalyptus trees from 75 different species were growing on forest farms along the railroad. Despite many criticisms he received from so-called “nationalists”, who would say that eucalyptus trees were extremely harmful to the soil, Navarro can be considered the only successful preservationist of his time.

ASSUNTO(S)

história das ciências museu do eucalipto edmundo navarro de andrade companhia paulista de estradas de ferro companhia paulista de estradas de ferro horto florestal de rio claro history of sciences museum of the eucalyptus edmundo navarro de andrade forest farm of rio claro

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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