ABSTRACT The text examines the writings of the Brazilian botanist Frederico Carlos Hoehne (1882-1959) about the protection of nature. It argues that Hoehne was a pioneer on the topic among Brazilian scientists. In his work as a scientist, writer and director of research institutes, he contributed to the emergence of an environmental consciousness in Brazil. His approach mixed scientific arguments with esthetics and with appeals related to national identity. It sustains that his mostly forgotten ideas are worth retrieving and examining with attention.
nature conservation; Botanical Science; Instituto de Botânica (SP); Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro; flora; Environmental Science