Rio is home to rare species that are over 80 years old in Serra da Concordia State Park

An important discovery for biodiversity conservation in Rio de Janeiro has been recorded in the Serra da Concordia State Park (PESC), a conservation unit managed by the State Environment Institute (ENA). In October, researchers found seven specimens of the species Faveiro-da-mata (Dimorphandra exaltata) and one of them caught attention: an individual over 80 years old and 15 meters long, located in Mata do Açude da Concórdia, in Valencia.

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— The discovery in Bisque reinforces the importance of Inea’s work in managing its conservation units and promoting research, serving as a fundamental pillar for the protection of biodiversity in Rio State — Celebrated by the Secretary of State for the Environment and Sustainability, Bernardo Rossi.

With its impressive height of 15 meters and over 80 years of age, the individual in the center of Mata do Black is a living testament to time. Moreover, their ecological importance also lies in their activities: in the full flowering phase, producing seeds and providing resources for pollinators, which may lead to the generation of new generations of vavirus plants.

The octogenarian specimen of Favero da Mata was found in Valencia, in the conservation unit managed by the State Environmental Institute - Photo: Fernando Fernández — The octogenarian specimen of Favero da Mata was found in Valencia, in the conservation unit managed by the State Environmental Institute – Photo: Fernando Fernández

The Faveiro-da-mata is a species officially considered endangered in Brazil, protected by law and endemic to the southeast Atlantic forest. Its pods (beans) serve as food for a variety of animals, in addition to being highly prized by cattle and horses. Protecting species therefore means preserving an important source of nutrients for wildlife.

The situation in Favero da Mata remains critical. 21 years ago, there were only 20 records of this species in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Thanks to ongoing field research efforts, this number has jumped to about 600 individuals in the three states, the vast majority of them in Minas Gerais. However, the population remains low, with many municipalities having fewer than five trees, and it is generally isolated in human areas.

In addition to the octogenarian individual, the research team identified six other faveiros-da-mata in Bisque in October, four adults already known to researchers and three juveniles. The first tree of this type was found in the park in 2000, in a grassland area. These results are the result of researchers Fernando Fernández, Andre Carneiro and Alberte Pereira, who are part of the action plan for the conservation of endangered species in Váveros, bringing the number of confirmed specimens in the unit to seven.

It is expected that new specimens will be found in and around Serra da Concordia State Park, as well as in other universities and special areas in Rio State, reinforcing the need to expand searches and investments in research.