Historical woods and public policies for the conservation of national built monuments in Brazil

Historical timbers constitute bio-resources that faithfully attest to ancestral knowledge concerning forests and the evolution of technological and cultural understanding associated with the use of wood. Timber is a ubiquitous component of many historical buildings. While significant policies guide interventions on this type of cultural property, gaps persist within the Brazilian context. The present study aims to problematize public preservation policies and propose strategies to address the disposal of historical timbers during interventions in the built heritage. The importance of botanical studies is underscored, as well as the necessity of establishing mandatory safeguarding mechanisms—specifically, the deposition of replaced timber (due to pathological issues in historical buildings) in a specialized scientific collection. This measure serves to register the knowledge and practices that connect the cultural past with the present.