ÁRVORES PARA A TRILHA INTERPRETATIVA “CONHECENDO O CERRADO” DA UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE MATO GROSSO DO SUL, CAMPO GRANDE-MS

Abstract

Urban forestry represents an important tool for promoting environmental education. This study evaluated the potential use of native tree species within the urban forest of the UFMS, located in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, for the establishment of an interpretive trail. Tree specimens were selected based on their ecological relevance, large size, preserved crown architecture, landscape prominence, and native occurrence in the Cerrado and Pantanal biomes. The selected trees were located near the buildings of Sector 1 of UFMS. The trees were georeferenced using the AlpineQuest application, and distribution maps were generated from geographic coordinates using Google Earth. Among the 45 recorded trees, one representative individual per species was selected, resulting in a total of 14 species. The selected species included typical Cerrado palm trees (acuri and buriti); species with remarkable ornamental value due to their showy flowering (jacaranda, white-ipe, purple-ipe, and pink-ipe); as well as large-sized trees (tamboril and falso-barbatimão), in addition to specimens of pau-brasil. This study provides a fundamental basis for the development of an interpretive trail aimed at strengthening the human–nature relationship and raising awareness about the importance of conserving the Cerrado and Pantanal biomes. Keywords: environmental trial; environmental education; urban forest