The São Paulo Botanic Garden is within the Ipiranga Springs State Park (PEFI), the municipality’s third largest forest fragment and part of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve. The park lies within the metropolitan area of São Paulo and serves as a recreational and educational area for its inhabitants. The location of the botanic garden provides a great opportunity for raising awareness about the natural world and its importance in maintaining human quality of life.
This project developed the River Ipiranga Spring Trail, a 360 metre elevated trail through the forest, with tree observation areas. This trail offers visitors a fantastic opportunity to walk through a patch of forest with many large trees, learn about their value to humans and ecosystems and the importance of their conservaiton. Visitors can also spot vines and bromeliads, and animals such as monkeys, toucans and sloths before reaching the spring - the source of the Ipiranga River.
Signs with information and facts in Portuguese and English, were introduced all around the garden. Visitors are encouraged to walk around the garden, learn new facts and search for further information. The endangered species trail highlights threatened species growing in the botanic garden and allows visitors to learn about why they are threatened and how to support their conservation.
This project also aimed to build awareness in surrounding areas, particularly within local schools. A teaching garden containing threatened species form the Atlantic Forest habitat was created in five local schools providing ongoing educational opportunities for teachers and students.
This project was carried out as part of the BGCI HSBC Investing in Nature partnership.