Floresta, Pernambuco

Floresta is a city in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. Situated a south latitude 08º36'04" South and to a longitude 38º34'07" West, being to an altitude of 316 metres. Its population esteem in 2004 was of 26,561 inhabitants.

An area of 3690,3 km².

History

Floresta (means forest) had beginning in century XVIII in the farms Curralinho and Paus Pretos, but it was the Fazenda Grande (big farm), to the right edge of the rio Pajeú (Pajeú river), that had beginning the population of Floresta. In the second half of century XVIII, the farm served as temporary corral/shelter for the cattle that came of Bahia to supply Pernambuco sugar devices with animal power.

Around the particular oratory, raised in 1777, that it would come to be later the chapel of the Bom Jesus dos Aflitos, the town appeared named as Fazenda Grande. The proprietors of the Fazenda Grande, captain Jose Maciel Pear tree and its wife D. Joana de Souza Silveira, had donated its lands to the Bom Jesus dos Aflitos, in 1778, in the notary's office of the Farm Riacho do Navio.

The easy water and the spirit of Christianity had attracted the people for the place. In few years, the town of Fazenda Grande was raised to the category of Village in 31 de março of 1846, by means of project that if became Provincial Law n° 153, presented for the representative of Flores, city also bathed by the River Pajeú, of which was unlinked.

In1849, as a punishment for its active participation in Revolução Praieira, the Vila de Floresta was incorporated to the town of Tacaratu, however, in 1864, the Term of the Judicial district was restored.

As a village, and with the advent of Republic, Floresta had as the first mayor Mr. Cel. Fausto Serafim de Souza Ferraz, who assumed in 1892. In 20 de junho of 1907, through state Law n°867, was raised to the category of city. After four days was created the "Sociedade Progressista Arborizadora" for the florestanos João Gomes Barbosa and Alfredo Barros, being the first one called by Álvaro Ferraz, in its book "Floresta", Pai dos Tamarindos.

The city of Floresta is classified in first place in Pernambuco, as the greatest rearing facility of caprinos (goat), and also one of the greatest tomato producing regions.

Religious history

In 1897, the first Church was constructed, where today sits the Cathedral of the Bom Jesus. It held the image of the Padroeiro, being the primitive church, a monument of History and Faith there, under the sponsorship of Nª Srª do Rosário.

Floresta was seat of the first Roman Catholic Diocese of the Sertão Nordestino, created in 1910 was composed of 18 parishes:
Exu, Ouricuri, Petrolina, Granito, Leopoldina (current Parnamirim), Salgueiro, Boa Vista, Cabrobó, Belém do São Francisco, Floresta, Vila Bela (current Serra Talhada), Belmonte, São José do Egito, Triunfo, Flores, Afogados da Ingazeira, Alagoa de Baixo (current Sertânia) e Tacaratu.

The first bishop of the diocese was D. Augusto Álvaro da Silva, who later served as Cardinal Archbishop of Bahia.

erra Negra

"Serra Negra" is the first biological reserve of Brazil, being instituted by the Decree 28348, of 7 de junho of 1950, with an area of 1.100ha and 5km of extension.

Its exuberant nature, also with some typical vegetal species of the Amazon region, was studied by important researchers, between them prof. Vasconcelos Sobrinho.

Translated from: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floresta_%28Pernambuco%29