12/09/2024

New orchidarium brings even more color to IMPA.

Shades of purple and lilac color the predominantly green landscape surrounding the IMPA's outdoor area. The color comes from orchids, some of which were donated by employees and students, that are blooming in the space. The newly arrived residents are the first of the "Corporate Orchidarium: Beauty and Sustainability in the Workplace," which began in August.

The project was developed by IMPA analyst Nelly Cristina Carvajal, a collaborator of the institute since 1998. The proposal is for the community to participate in expanding the orchidarium, which already has 9 donations from collaborators and students. The others were acquired when they were being discarded.

Nelly Carvajal

The initiative, supported by the institution and the gardens and maintenance sector, also maintains a nursery with another 11 seedlings in recovery. According to Nelly, the goal of the orchidarium is to make the environment more pleasant and beautiful, contributing to sustainability efforts. It is also an opportunity to offer a new home for plants that, due to lack of suitable conditions or proper management, are not thriving.

“It’s a chance to save a plant that wouldn’t survive in your home anyway, that’s suffering. Another important thing: flowers have pollinators that help nature by providing food for various insect species, for example. At IMPA, we are within a protected area. And, as a protected area, it is up to us to bring biodiversity.”

The IMPA employee explained that carrying out the project required a lot of research, including visits to the National School of Botany in Rio de Janeiro and also to the orchidarium of the Botanical Garden. Specific products for orchid care were also acquired, including specialized substrate, drainage mat, and plant identifiers. Since then, the health of the orchids has been monitored daily by employees of the IMPA gardens department.

Gardener Rodrigo Lopes oversaw the initial development of the orchidarium. Repairing seedlings, cleaning, and maintaining flowers that require special care were some of the main activities. According to him, the process is lengthy and demands patience. “It’s more a matter of time, because many orchids need specific care. Some have very wilted leaves, the roots may be rotten. I did this cleaning work, using specific orchid substrate, charcoal, and a mat—which helps to hold the roots in place.”

Rodrigo Lopes e Paulo Pacheco

Wellington José, from the gardens and maintenance sector of IMPA, believes that the initiative is a way to bring even more beauty to the institute's outdoor patio. “It's been a great experience taking care of an orchid garden. I think it will be very beautiful because, since the landscape here is very green, each little flower will be a highlight in our garden.”

Wellington José

Looking to the future, the idea is to incorporate plaques with general information about the species, such as the scientific name of each orchid. Access to the content will be via QR code. Another plan is to make educational material about orchids available, including care, environmental benefits, and positive impact on health and well-being.

“Here, I see many trees, a lot of forest, a lot of greenery, it’s wonderful, but there weren’t any flowers yet. If we could create a collection with various species of orchids, it would be really cool. The Atlantic Forest is the place for them to be happy, it’s their habitat,” said Nelly.