Urban arborization in cities of the Brazilian Semiarid: Retrospective analysis and future perspectives

Abstract : The study aimed to conduct a case study on the urban arborization of two medium-sized cities located in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil (Patos-PB and Petrolina-PE), considering actions already carried out in these cities. Based on qualitative and quantitative phytosociological and geotechnical studies, the predominance of exotic species, such as Terminalia catappa and Ficus benjamina, was observed in the 1990s and 2000s, respectively. Similar methodological evaluations were implemented in the city of Patos-PB, identifying also F. benjamina, among other species. In recent decades, alternatives have been adopted for using native species from the Caatinga biome, characterized by the presence of tree and shrub species with a predominance of deciduous species during the dry period of the year, which can be utilized in arborization. In this sense, with the restructuring of public roads in the two cities, significant advances have been observed in relation to the relative increase in the percentage of local native plants. Thus, with this trend of valuing regional flora in urban centers, public policies to encourage planting and new phytosociological surveys should be prioritized in the next decade or more, to confirm this trend and consider other technical aspects, such as spacing between trees, distances between curb and sidewalk, width of sidewalks, height of power lines, and drastic pruning, among others.