New exhibitions in Floresta do Saber

Floresta do Saber has two new exhibitions at its center, in Quinta de São Francisco, in Aveiro. One of the exhibitions, entitled "Woods of Portugal," is dedicated to the variety of forest species present in our country and brings together 78 samples from the collection of the Albino de Carvalho Xylotheque. On display are samples of wood from 21 plant families and 35 botanical genera, of native and exotic species, present in the Portuguese forest, such as oaks (Quercus holly ( spp.), holly (Ilex aquifolium), pine trees (Pine spp.), walnut (Juglans regia) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus (spp.). The samples are accompanied by the common and scientific name of the species, family, and distribution, allowing visitors to learn about the particularities of the exhibited woods, with different colors, weights, grain, and textures. This exhibition is the result of a partnership between RAIZ – Forest and Paper Research Institute, promoter of the educational project "Floresta do Saber," and INIAV – National Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research. Another exhibition that was recently inaugurated is entitled "Portuguese Forest – a closer look" and is authored by Lísia Lopes and Rosa Pinho, from the Herbarium of the Department of Biology at the University of Aveiro. It features a total of 105 high-quality, captioned photographs on the floristic biodiversity of various forest ecosystems, such as Laurisilva, Fagosilva, and production forests. Both initiatives are promoted by Foresta do Saber, a RAIZ project supported by the Gulbenkian Sustainable Development Program of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and recognized as a UNESCO NATIONAL CLUB. Its activities focus on raising awareness and educating about sustainability, forests, and the digital and circular bioeconomy based on forestry. The exhibitions can be visited free of charge until October 2023, on weekdays between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm (except holidays), and by appointment through the Floresta do Saber website (https://florestadosaber.pt/wp/), by email (visitas.raiz@thenavigatorcompany.com) or telephone (234 920 130).