Botanical Garden receives almost 5,000 visitors during 21st SNCT

By Alessandra Holanda*

During the 21st National Science and Technology Week - SNCT, from October 14 to 20, the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden received almost 5,000 visitors. The event was visited by 20 schools, both public and private, and 4 institutions from different municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The students had the opportunity to see, through various demonstrations, the importance of science and technology in everyone's lives and how they can provide for the country's development.

The event brought together scientists, educators, students, staff and the general public. From microscopic forests at the bryophyte stand to large tree compositions on the trails through the Arboretum, more than 40 activities were on offer, showcasing the areas in which JBRJ operates. At the Botanical Garden Museum, visitors were able to appreciate the botanical illustration exhibition and take part in the botanical drawing workshop, where they observed living plants and, with guidance from the monitors, were able to understand the elements that characterize the species used.

The Museum also hosted workshops and stands that presented a theoretical and practical approach to involve visitors in a science education experience. In the “Conscious Consumption in Biomes” activity, for example, the public learned more about the waste cycle and waste management, as well as taking part in a jewelry workshop using recyclable materials. In the essential oils workshop, they were able to see how essences are produced and experience the aromas of different species. The araceae, a plant family with many ornamental species, featured prominently on their own stand.

The National Center for Flora Conservation (CNCFlora) offered a memory game about endangered plants and biomes, while the Garden's animals were the subject of the Fauna Center's stand. Over the weekend, talks and a stand by the Mantis Project team delighted the public by showing the beauty of Brazil's praying mantises and the latest discoveries about these intriguing insects.

Taking the kids on a journey back in time, the Socio-Environmental Education Service team presented the map of Brazil created in 1823 by the German botanist Carl Friedrich Philipp Von Martius, who proposed a regional division for the country based on five major biomes. In the activity, children and young people related the characteristics of each Brazilian biome in a board game.

Inside one of the electric carts, visitors were able to experience a guided tour of the arboretum without having to leave their seat. Using virtual reality goggles, the tour showed the main points of the bicentennial institution, passing by the famous imperial palm trees, the Frei Leandro Lake and the Research Directorate, as well as telling a little about its history.

To test visitors' knowledge and broaden their repertoire, the João Carlos Silva Socio-Environmental Responsibility Center developed the “Biomes Game”, a board game in which the pieces were the participants themselves, who moved around answering questions and answers about Brazil's biomes. The Amazon Biome Game, with cards, was also a hit with visitors.

Another highlight were the trails promoted during SNCT. On guided walks through the arboretum, visitors had the opportunity to explore different parts of the JBRJ and learn more about the different botanical species grown at the institution.

The PrevFogo team showed the children some of their work. Curious and attentive, they were able to see a practical demonstration of some of the equipment used to fight forest fires. And the Serpro team, in partnership with the Ombudsman's Office and the Botanical Garden's LGPD group, helped children and adults learn how to protect their personal data in a fun way. 

The 21st SNCT at JBRJ had the support of Shell, JBRJ's master sponsor, and the participation of the Planetarium Foundation of the City of Rio de Janeiro, Embrapa Solos, PrevFogo, Serpro and the Mantis Project.

*With the collaboration of Claudia R. Lopes