at a glance
it was in 1822, the year of brazilian independence, that the gardens were opened up to the public, by dom joão vi's son, dom pedro i. it was also during this period that the jardim botânico became the official site of tea plantation and production, in the city, and would then go on to harvest an estimated 340 kilograms of tea annually. the garden continued to be a central hub of the region's plant life, and then, in 1937, a significant moment for the site, as it was listed as part of the brazilian historical heritage, giving it a real sense of cultural importance. following this, due to its historical and scientific significance, unesco defined the jardim botânico as a biosphere reserve area, in 1992.
