Introduction by Orchid News

The professors José Luiz de Andrade Franco, historian, doctor of social history and history of ideas, and José Augusto Drummond, social scientist, master of "environmental science" and Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Development, dedicated two works to Hoehne.
The first work is named "Frederico Carlos Hoehne: the actuality of a pioneer in the field of nature protection in Brazil",  2005, published in "Ambiente & Sociedade. Vol.8 nº1, Campinas - SP" and the second is the book "Nature Protection and National Identity in Brazil, 1920-1940", edited by Editora Fiocruz - 2009.
In the last one, they approach the import role played by a group of naturalists in the formulation of policy concerning the conservation of the natural Brazilian wealth between the decades 20 and 40, discussing the contributions of e Alberto José Sampaio, Armando Magalhães Correia and Cândido de Mello Leitão.
The entire chapter 4 is devoted to (Frederico Carlos Hoehne and the nature conservation in the state of  São Paulo).
When someone talks about Hoehne, we immediately though about his studies on Orchidaceae family, however he went far beyond as can be seen in the two works mentioned.
Worried about forgetfulness of scientist, the authors emphasize:  "Dead for less than 50 years, over thought and action of Hoehne, already dropped a troubled cloak that, if not of a forgetfulness, it is ignorance. In terms of memory, ignorance may be the eve of oblivion. His thinking, most part forgotten, should be recovered and examined more closely".
Since long time ago, we have the intention to pay homage to Hoehne, but faced with these well crafted and full texts, we prefer to ask permission from the authors to adapt and publish them in Orchid News giving our little contribution to reduce the ignorance, and consequently, avoiding forget Frederico Carlos Hoehne.
Orchid News.


"Frederido Carlos Hoehne, a pioneer of nature conservation in Brazil"

Adapted by Delfina de Araujo

Frederico Carlos Hoehne was a pioneer in nature protection among Brazilian scientists of the twentieth century.
As a prolific and influential scientist, writer and manager of scientific institutions, participant in organizations in the scientific community, Hoehne contributed to the emergence of environmental awareness in Brazil. He transmitted his knowledge about the Brazilian nature and his concern with its preservation for generations of Brazilian scientists, decades before the environmental questions arose in an institutionalized form in the conscience of the contemporary citizens.
From the public defense of his positions, he took on particular importance among Brazilian people who were concerned about the protection of nature in the years 1930-1940. It happened in a time of scarce investment in science.
Hew was one of the first Brazilian to undertake systematic comprehensive and long-term studies about our native flora or about any associated matters such as biogeography and ecology. He spent decades studying the flora continuously, alternating their field trips with extended periods of laboratory work, herbarium and research institutions in Brazil. Traveling throughout most of the country, he denounced the procedures that contributed to the devastation of forests and bad land use.

“Primary Forest between Jussural and Angra dos Reis, State of Rio de Janeiro, that we visited in 1926. Here one can see how the railroads, since they are built,contribute to destroy the forests they cross. A camp where we stayed for 8 days studying the flora and the conditions where the Orchidaceas thrive in our country.” (Album de Orchidaceas Brasileiras).

In a few words, he allied an extensive field experience with the formation of plant collections that formed the basis for studies of other scientists. He produced numerous influential publications, giving an important contribution to the scientific knowledge of flora. He left a legacy that helped and still helps in the formation of new generations of Brazilian natural scientists, many of whom, in many ways, have engaged or engage themselves in efforts to know and preserve the nature of the country. His approach combined the aesthetic and scientific arguments with national identity. For him was crucial that human been act in harmonious way with the nature that surrounds them, trying to know and admire it.

Born and raised in Minas Gerais with a self-taught formation, during his long career, reached the status of scientist of national and international reputation. Besides being a first-rate researcher, he managed to articulate and communicate a perception very sensitive towards nature and its diversity, using both aesthetic and pragmatic arguments in order to preserve them. He argued that the preservation of native forest propitiated habitats for birds, insects and other animals that protect agriculture from predators and parasites. These perspectives, for sure, are now supported and complied with in any conference on bio diversity and the preservation of the natural environment, even by scientists who could never read Hoehne
Already in the 20s of last century, he pondered and warned of human actions regarding to the nature:
"... the man is entitled to dispose of trees, as all that nature offers, as he sees fit, but with this, we can not grant rights to individuals to the detriment of the collective right. (HOEHNE, apud Dean, 1996: 274).
"... what nature has created, once destroyed, can never be made artificially and... in forests and grasslands we still possess thousands and thousands of plants and animals that we do not know but maybe one day become very important and useful for us" (HOEHNE, apud DEAN, 1996: 274).
His nationalism was a bet on the possibility that Brazil would correct the directions regarding to dealing with nature and, through his own plans to reconcile human activities with nature. To him, countries with more advanced economies lost their tutelary role in this dimension, serving us, at best, only as a warning signal, since, ""deprived land of its primary and native forests, people now try to reestablish the biota and excellent conditions by means of natural forests, without achieving it"" (HOEHNE, apud DEAN, 1996: 274).
He found necessary, therefore, safeguard the natural property of the nation.
Patriotism and appreciation of nature, not only from an economic standpoint but also from a perspective involving the scientific interest and aesthetic sensibility, were seen as necessary foundations of national identity and ensure perpetuation of the natural legacy.He saw the devastation of nature in Brazil as a result of ignorance or bad faith and selfishness of those who only aims for immediate profit. It was therefore necessary to provide information about the conservation of nature and its resources to an audience as broad as possible, and ensure the development of laws which were subject to guarantee interest to the public benefit.

Cirrhaea longiracemosa Hoehne

His concern for the preservation of species and biological diversity made him early on, defending the need for the establishment of a gene reserve of native flora and fauna. At the federal level, his ideas helped to create the first national parks in Brazil. At the state level, was directly involved in the creation of the Botanical Garden of São Paulo. In the 1930s, was edited a law relating to the protection of nature and created some natural conservation areas. He recognized the importance of these measures, although he complained of the lack of observance of the laws that support them. In his opinion, it was essential that regarding to the preservation of nature, individual interests should be subordinated to the community and thought having in mind the future generations.

Hoehneella gehrtiana (Hoehne) Ruschi Hoehneella Ruschi, a genus in his homage

Hoehne was not a preservationist "strictu sensu". He defended the use, provided prescient, of natural resources, as well as aesthetic enjoyment and scientific research, which should be guaranteed by human artifice in partnership with nature, was in favor of production in a manner which we would now call sustainability. Cities with trees and flowers, interspersed with parks and gardens, roads interspersed with forest reserves, all were planned in his projects.
Despite all this contribution, he is part of a legion of recent voices almost forgotten who manifested against the irrational deal with Brazilian nature. Dead for less than 50 years, over thought and action of Hoehne, already dropped a troubled cloak that, if not of a forgetfulness, it is ignorance. In terms of memory, ignorance may be the eve of oblivion. His thinking, most part forgotten, should be recovered and examined more closely.

His biography
Frederico Carlos Hoehne was born in Juiz de Fora (MG) on 1/2/1882 and died on 03/16/1959. He grew up in rural place near his hometown in the domain area of the Atlantic Forest, where, he said, was born the "base for [my] interest in botany. "
After completing high school and not having access to a college that interested him, at 17, he started a self-study and go on observing the plants. He purchased books and expanded his collection of plants, making effort to identify and classify them, already longing for discovering new species.
In spiting of having no scientific training, in1907, aged 25, he launched his career as a researcher and scientist when he was named for the post of Chief Gardener of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, the largest scientific institution in the country. Shortly thereafter he was invited to participate in an expedition of naturalists of National Museum who would joined Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon on a trip to Mato Grosso.
In 1917, he moved to Sao Paulo and settled professionally developing a systematic action and long duration, in relation to the study and protection of nature. In that state, was ahead of many institutions related to botany and his career was closely linked to the emergence of the Institute of Botany of São Paulo, since joining in 1928, by this time, the Institute for Biological Agricultural and Animal Defense. Finally, in 1942, after several changes, this institution became the current Institute of Botany, where he worked until 1952 and is retired, compulsorily when reached the age of 70.

His Works:
For Hoehne the production of knowledge pure and simple was not sufficient, it was necessary to make it known. He wrote over 600 scientific articles and diffusion approaching different subjects such as forest reserves and biological stations, ornamentation of streets, city parks and highways, with the protection and planting of native species, reforestation, forest protection, with emphasis on need for legislation to protect nature, fighting habits of slash and burn, the protection of forests in general determinant agents for the climate, agriculture, aesthetics and conservation campaigns. His contribution extended to other productions, such as lectures, conferences, booklets for children and various texts of limited circulation.

Habenaria ernestii-ulei Hoehne Species described from a plant found in "Serra de Itatiaia", Rio de Janeiro, at 2.000m

In the current Institute of Botany, he devoted himself to mapping and survey of flora and published several volumes of this work, which he entitled Flora Brasílica. This work consists of 12 issues which 4 of them (Volume 1, 5, 8 and 10) approach the Orchidaceae family, making it one of the most important and most complete information about this group of plants, published in Brazil. About this family, besides this collection, and numerous articles and trip reports, he published "Iconografia das Orchidaceas do Brasil e Álbum de Orchidaceas Brasileiras". His work, too wide, won widespread national and international recognition. Many institutions paid homage to him and we should point out the the invitation to participate as an honorary member of the American Orchid Society, a distinction given to few scientists worldwide, and the title of doctor honoris causa given by the University of Gottingen in Germany in 1929.

Travels and Orchids
In mid-1908, he left for what would be the first of his many research trips to many parts of Brazil. In late 1909, returned from Mato Grosso bringing 2,000 plants collected in various locations so remote state, which were incorporated in the herbarium of the National Museum. He sent many floristic specimen to Germany for identification. His drawings (of plants) were also printed in Germany and then attached to the official report of Rondon's excursion.
In 1910, he was back in Mato Grosso, in the company of botanists and Hermano Geraldo Kuhlmann, in a new excursion for studying the flora.

Among the several species described by Hoehne Catasetum, three of them occur in the state of Mato Grosso, as Catasetum cirrheaoides Hoehne

In 1912, he was again, the botanist of Rondon expedition (Mato Grosso and Amazonas) and in 1913 played the same role in so-called Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific Expedition. It means, in just over five years, he made four long voyages of scientific exploration.
Between 1908 and 1948, he participated in 15 scientific expeditions to Brazil and some neighboring countries. The travels took him, among other places, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Parana, Santa Catarina and the southern Brazilian coast. in these expeditions at least 10,000 plant specimens were collected, representing at least 4,000 different species, of which about 200 were new to science.
The expeditions made by Hoehne in Brazil, as well as his knowledge and his concerns about the native flora and fauna, have been synthesized in the "Iconografia das Orchidáceas do Brasil" (Hoehne, 1949b), in the chapter "mental tour around the country". It is, basically, to elucidate what, where and how they live orchids in Brazil. However, while we go along the author in the proposed trip, other more general subjects related to the phytogeography and the protection and rational use of nature are discussed. In principle it was agreed that:
“"No other country has a greater variety of reasons than ours. Our forests and grasslands bearing vines and herbs with flowers more beautiful and more lovely than those of Acanto of Greece and shelter orchids with flowers more beautiful and artistic than all roses from Bulgaria and Italy. Why let the artists take us into strange lands the privilege of introducing them in the decorative art of bas-relief, bars, Greek and plated as wallpaper and decorations in stucco? It is urgent and very appropriate that we turn our sights to all these wonders of indigenous nature and use them in the arts, gardens, parks and halls. In doing so we engage in patriotic work, because we compete for our land learn to appreciate them, to love her, not only because it produces the intellectual side, but also by what is born and comes spontaneously from his abundant ground" (HOEHNE, 1930: 33-34).

Stylization of flowers Bifrenaria harrisoniae Rchb. F. to form stained-glass windows or carpets - Drawing by M. B. Vecchi. Drawing shown in "Iconografia das Orchidaceas do Brasil" as suggestions for introduction of Brazilian orchids in decorative.

Summary extracted from the paper entitled "Frederico Carlos Hoehne: the actuality of a pioneer in the field of nature protection in Brazil, " published in 2005, Environment & Society. Vol.8 No. 1, Campinas and also Chapter IV - Frederico Carlos Hoehne and Nature Conservation in Sao Paulo and from the book "Nature Protection and Identity National in Brazil years l920-1940", Published in 2009 by Fio Cruz editora, both of authored by professors José Luiz de Andrade Franco (*) e José Augusto Drummond (**)

(*) Doctor in History from the University of Brasilia. Professor, Department of History at the University of Brasilia and Research Associate of Center for Sustainable Development at the University of Brasilia.
(**) Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Development at the University of Wisconsin. Associate Professor, Center for Sustainable Development at the University of Brasilia.