Fontes do Ipiranga Biological Reserve ( pt, Reserva Biológica do Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga) is a

biological reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

in the Fontes do Ipiranga State Park in

São Paulo State SAO or Sao may refer to: Places * Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD * Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso * Saco Transportation Center (station code SAO), a train station in Saco, Maine, U.S ...

, Brazil.

Location

The Fontes do Ipiranga State Park is located in the south of the city of

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

. It holds the biological reserve, which preserves a remnant of

Atlantic Forest The Atlantic Forest ( pt, Mata Atlântica) is a South American forest that extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the northeast to Rio Grande do Sul state in the south and inland as far as Paraguay and th ...

vegetation and fauna, as well as the São Paulo Botanical Garden ( Jardim Botânico de São Paulo). The biological reserve covers of the state park. It contains rainforest vegetation mixed with

Araucaria ''Araucaria'' (; original pronunciation: .ɾawˈka. ɾja is a genus of evergreen Conifer, coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae. There are 20 extant taxon, extant species in New Caledonia (where 14 species are endemism, ende ...

in various stages of succession.

History

The State park has its origin in a decree of

12 September Events Pre-1600 *490 BC – Battle of Marathon: The conventionally accepted date for the Battle of Marathon. The Classical Athens, Athenians and their Plataean allies defeat the First Persian invasion of Greece, first Persian invasion for ...

1893 Events January–March * January 2 – Webb C. Ball introduces railroad chronometers, which become the general railroad timepiece standards in North America. * Mark Twain started writing Puddn'head Wilson. * January 6 – Th ...

that declared an area of in the Ipiranga River basin was of public utility to protect the water supply of the city. In the 1920s the Horto Botânico, now the Botanical Garden, was established in the park area. During the 1930s the city's water supply was overhauled and the park was no longer a source. The site went through a series of changes in use and administration over the years that followed. The park was formally constituted by decree on 12 August 1969. The Água Funda Park was now called the Fontes do Ipiranga State Park. The decree defined a Biological Reserve area, Zoological garden, Botanical garden forest area and various open areas. The Biological Reserve was to be kept intact as a scientific repository of the existing biota and to protect the historical headwaters of the Ipiranga River. Minimal changes were allowed, including internal paths no more than wide to be used only for scientific researchers. The reserve shows evidence of human influences such as construction in the surrounding area, introduction of exotic species and deforestation. In October 2012 it was reported that the governor of the state was planning to build a concert arena, hotel complex and exhibition centre in the State park.

Notes

Sources

* * * * {{authority control Biological reserves of Brazil Protected areas of São Paulo (state) Protected areas established in 1969 1969 establishments in Brazil Protected areas of the Atlantic Forest