The IBGE Ecological Reserve (RECOR), located in the Federal District, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special exhibition that brought together pieces from the institution's zoological collection, botanical materials from the Central Plateau, and historical geodetic instruments. The exhibition was open to the public during the two-day program—the first day dedicated to workshops for students from the public school system and the second day to the official celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary.

Among the highlights were specimens from RECOR's zoological collection, which brings together approximately 70,000 specimens of terrestrial biota and 150,000 of aquatic biota from the Cerrado biome. Organized into six scientific collections—insects, shrimp, fish, herpetofauna, birds, and mammals—this collection is considered one of the most complete research databases on the biome.

In addition to the zoological specimens, the public could also observe typical woods from the Brazilian Central Plateau, tree bark, and stones found in the Cerrado, composing an overview of the natural environment protected by the reserve.

The curation of this part of the exhibition was carried out by environmental analyst Angelita Coelho and biodiversity analyst Frederico Takahashi. Ms. Coelho highlighted that the proposal was to bring the public closer to the natural richness of the Cerrado, translating scientific information into accessible language. She explained that the intention was "to bring a little of the Cerrado to a lay audience, who does not have contact with the most technical aspects," also emphasizing that, although the collection is fixed, the exhibition is always being renewed. Commenting on the visit of 90 children during the first day's workshop, he stated that new ideas arise precisely from this contact with the public: a "mutual process" that opens up "a thousand other possibilities."

Mr. Takahashi emphasized that the exhibition represented a selection from the permanent exhibition installed in the IBGE building used to receive visitors, mainly schoolchildren. He stressed  that the objective is to present part of the reserve's biodiversity and an overview of national biodiversity, as well as to answer students' questions—such as frequently asked questions about the maned wolf. He also said that he seeks to explain, in a didactic way, ecological processes related to the species, their characteristics, and the dispersal strategies of the plants.

The exhibition also presented historical geodetic instruments, such as the theodolite, a device used to measure horizontal and vertical angles in topographic surveys, and the tellurometer, an instrument used to measure the electrical resistivity of the soil, important in geophysical studies.

Another attraction was the timeline exhibit, organized by Leandro Malavota, which presented a concise historical retrospective of RECOR. The timeline included historical photos of IBGE servants in the field, information about the fire brigade's activities, details of the research conducted in the area, records of scientific collections, aspects of the Cerrado's fauna and flora, and the history of the reserve's creation, in addition to highlighting IBGE's role in environmental agendas over the decades.

The celebration of the 50th anniversary of the IBGE Ecological Reserve reinforced its importance as a space for conservation, research, and environmental education, bringing together science, history, and data disemination to connect society with the biodiversity of the Cerrado—one of the richest and most threatened biomes in the country.

Book celebrates 50th anniversary of the Ecological Reserve

Amidst the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the IBGE Ecological Reserve (RECOR), the work “IBGE Ecological Reserve – Volume 2: Commitment to biodiversity, science and society” was launched. This publication brings together a series of studies, historical records, and reports of projects conducted at the reserve. The launch was part of the official 50th-anniversary schedule and brought together civil servants, researchers, managers, and specialists who discussed the scientific and institutional advances accumulated over five decades.

The launch panel included several authorities, such as the manager of RECOR and organizer of the publication, Mauro Lambert Ribeiro, the biodiversity analyst, Leonardo Bergamini, and the consultant in environmental, territorial, cultural, and transportation planning projects, Mônica Veríssimo dos Santos. During the opening, moderator Leandro Malavota, from the IBGE Memory team, highlighted the importance of history and memory in addressing contemporary problems. According to Mr. Malavota, "history and memory can provide insights into recent problems and project visions of the future," a reflection that resonated with the book's proposal.

A glance at the past and the future

The first volume of the publication, released in 2011, was a landmark in bringing together studies on the terrestrial biodiversity of the Ecological Reserve (RECOR). The most recent work, however, offers important updates and future projections for RECOR. The organization of this second volume is by Mauro Lambert, who is also co-author of the initial chapter. This chapter presents an overview of the six institutional commitments that guided the creation of the reserve and marked its trajectory over 50 years, and included contributions from former area managers such as Iracema Gonzales, Betania Tarley, Silvio Santos, and Alessandra Gouveia.

Speaking about the book, Mr. Lambert recalled the origin of RECOR, which dates back to the relocation of the capital to Brasília, a movement aimed at national integration, mainly through the agricultural development of the Cerrado. “They thought: the Cerrado will be transformed. We will create a Conservation Area and implement a long-term ecological research program that provides answers to support public policies that reconcile economic development with biodiversity conservation,” he added.

Cerrado: wealth being discovered

The second chapter of the book, authored by Leonardo Bergamini and Aline Daniele Silva, focuses on a synthesis of the biodiversity present in the reserve. According to Mr. Bergamini, although RECOR occupies a relatively small area of ​​approximately 1,440 hectares, the variety of species and landscapes is impressive. “Despite being a relatively small area, there is a very large diversity. In the publication, for example, we have an updated list of endangered species found here, both flora and fauna,” he emphasized.

RECOR is home to approximately 4,000 cataloged species and a long time series of climate data collected with the support of partner institutions. “This area has a very high natural diversity, as well as a lot of research. Despite all this variety of data, we are always making new discoveries of different plant and animal species,” added Mr. Bergamini. He also reflected on the challenges of environmental degradation: “The Cerrado is the richest savannah in the world, but this richness has been lost at an alarming rate. This book will be another contribution to what has been produced here and also a propeller for future discoveries,” he concluded.

Integration between science and society

The fifth chapter of the work is authored by Mônica Veríssimo dos Santos, who highlights the importance of the Ecological Reserve in the international agenda. In her speech, Mônica addressed the problem of urban growth near the reserve and proposed an innovative solution: the creation of HUBio, a platform for dialogue between science and society. “We researchers have difficulty translating our language to society. The IBGE, with its national reach, is perhaps the only institution that all Brazilians know and that has the capacity to link scientific data to population,” she explained.

Ms. Veríssimo also emphasized the international relevance of RECOR, which is part of the Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO program. “The reserve is today the linchpin of Brazil's international agendas and a Brazilian representative in terms of biodiversity conservation, knowledge generation, and the union between science and society,” she concluded.

Legacy and future perspectives

According to the organizer, Mauro Lambert, the second volume of the work reaffirms the institutional commitments to biodiversity, science, and society, and provides an independent assessment of RECOR's contributions to the country, prepared by invited researchers and environmental managers. The book also points to future perspectives for the reserve, always focusing on integrating economic development and environmental conservation.

More about the publication

The first volume of the work, published in 2011, presented the knowledge produced in the IBGE Ecological Reserve about the terrestrial biodiversity of the area and its importance to the Cerrado Biome. This second volume, published on the Reserve's fiftieth anniversary, addresses the institutional commitments that shaped its organizational identity and guided its governance and management, but also points to paths for a more sustainable future, in which science and society continue to work together for environmental conservation.

The publication, published by the IBGE printing press, will soon be available for purchase or free download on the website https://loja.ibge.gov.br/