An activity about jacaranda trees sparks curiosity about urban biodiversity and becomes part of the collection at the Ibirapuera Park Visitor Center.

By: Gabriela Andrietta

On January 18th, Ibirapuera Park hosted the second edition of the event "Blue City: Phenology of Jacaranda Trees," which brought together more than 100 visitors in a learning activity about jacaranda trees, bringing the public closer to science and nature.

The action falls within the scope of phenology, the science that studies the natural cycles of plants, such as flowering and fruiting, and their direct relationship with climatic conditions. Monitoring these events allows us to understand how variations in temperature and rainfall patterns affect the behavior of trees over time, generating important indicators about climate change.

The research project “Phenology of Jacaranda mimosifolia D. Don. in urban parks of the city of São Paulo as a subsidy for monitoring global climate change”, developed by CBioClima, with support from FAPESP, has already monitored approximately 470 jacaranda trees in eight public parks in the city of São Paulo, including Ibirapuera Park. Individuals located on streets and avenues were also mapped. The study includes three species: Jacaranda mimosifolia, Jacaranda cuspidifolia, and Jacaranda brasiliana, the latter two being native to Brazil. Tree monitoring was carried out by Leonardo Ganz, a master's student, under the supervision of researchers Dr. Patrícia Morellato and Dr. Maria Tereza Grombone Guaratini.

In 2025, the work was expanded through a partnership with Urbia Gestão de Parques, incorporating citizen science and sustainability education actions aimed at the visiting public. The proposal involves researchers and society in data collection and observation, strengthening knowledge about urban trees and contributing to the monitoring of climate change in the urban environment. This initiative in Ibirapuera Park functions as a pilot project, which should be replicated in other Brazilian cities, such as Rio Claro (SP), by Thalita Surian, and Belo Horizonte (MG), by Carolina Pontes, expanding the reach of the methodology and social participation.

For biologist Bianca Curopos, from the socio-environmental projects sector of Ibirapuera Park, the partnership has been very important. “We were able to offer another citizen science activity, which is very important for an urban park that receives more than 100,000 visitors per month.”

Environmental scientist Vitória Andreassi, who is also part of the socio-environmental team, highlights the event's reach among diverse audiences. “This partnership with research centers shows how engaged and concerned we are about climate change and bringing this debate to the population in a practical way, bringing visibility to the dissemination of science,” she states.

Bianca adds that the significant presence of adult participants is noteworthy, especially because, in general, socio-environmental activities are mainly aimed at children. According to her, many people who frequent the park for sports or leisure activities begin to see it differently after participating in the project, recognizing species and sparking curiosity about urban biodiversity. “It’s important to rekindle the passion and curiosity for the environment in other groups that are not normally interested in biodiversity,” she emphasizes. The biologist further emphasizes that the hands-on activities, which include direct contact with seeds, fruits, and botanical material, broaden public engagement by stimulating different senses, going beyond visual observation and promoting a deeper connection with nature.

Throughout the activities, it became evident that many people confuse jacaranda trees with ipê trees, especially due to their showy flowering and similar colors. Several participants reported that they had been photographing these trees for years believing them to be ipê trees, until they discovered, during the event, that they were jacaranda trees. The initiative also introduced the iNaturalist platform to the public, which can be used to record observations, identify species, and contribute to citizen science actions, expanding knowledge about urban biodiversity.

Specimens of dried jacaranda leaves, known as exsiccatae, as well as other materials produced throughout the project, were incorporated into the information collection of the Ibirapuera Park Visitor Center. The space brings together texts, maps, and information about jacaranda species and the history of the park, and receives up to 9,000 visitors per quarter, including national and international tourists, expanding the reach of scientific dissemination and environmental education.