When we think of urban afforestation in Brazil, what comes to mind is a mouth that has lost its teeth

Abstract

Abstract: The conservationist mentality of classifying pristine and degraded environments has given way to a more intelligent approach, that is, producing and applying knowledge to increase and support biodiversity in human habitats. Cities have a high potential for the conservation of biological diversity, but it is not fully feasible without considerable planning and management inputs. There are many ecosystem services provided by trees in urban ecological systems, whose positive impact on human well- being is consensual in the literature. Likewise, the capacity of urban flora, especially woody vegetation, to attract and support fauna has been proven in several studies. Tropical megadiverse countries whose cities are undergoing rapid urbanization such as Brazil face the double challenge of creating cities that can support biological diversity, with environmental justice. The most important tool for solving these demands is urban afforestation planning. However, the capacity of Brazilian cities to plan and execute tree-planting projects is low. In this essay, we discuss the main difficulties related to urban afforestation in Brazil and present some alternatives for increasing the number of trees and species and for the democratization of their benefits, especially in neighborhoods with low socioeconomic status.