Between dam and lions: reconstructing the history of the Dois Irmãos state park area (Recife/PE)

Abstract

The Dois Irmãos State Park (PEDI), located in the northern part of the city of Recife/PE, is a green area registered as an urban ecological reserve in the Atlantic Forest. Higly frequented by the population of Recife, the park is home to a zoo considered a reference in the conservation of wild fauna in northeastern Brazil and a practical training center for young students in the areas of biology and veterinary science. This research sought to identify how the PEDI area was appropriated, identified and the subject of disputes by different social groups at different times. We were able to identify that the sugar plantation buildings were the first public arrangements in the area, present since the first half of the 18th century, with origins in the sugar cane mills installed in the region. We identified that one of the milestones in the transformation of the area in relation to its current context took place in 1925 with the construction of a botanical garden and another in 1939, with the creation of the current zoo-botanical park. We have shown in this work that these different appropriations and reuses over time have ensured the preservation of the forested area, while at the same time shaping the current urban form of this part of the city of Recife.