Restoration potential on urban fringes identified in Brazil

by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 25, 2025

Researchers from the University of Sao Paulo, working within the BIOTA Synthesis center of FAPESP, have mapped roughly 410,000 hectares on Sao Paulo's urban fringe as suitable for forest restoration.

These areas, located around urban centers, include a mix of residential, agricultural, recreational, infrastructure, and aquatic zones. Historically, they have been overlooked in evaluations of restoration potential. According to the team, this newly identified space could fulfill nearly a third of the state's objective to restore 1.5 million hectares by 2050.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, evaluated land use data from 1990 to 2020, collected by the MapBiomas collaborative network. For the first time, distinctions were made between urban core, fringe, and rural landscapes. Lead author Luciana Schwandner Ferreira noted that, "These are interesting areas because they're close to cities and people, which maximizes the benefits of restoration. We saw that regeneration has exceeded deforestation since 2005, despite urban pressure."

Analysis indicates that urban fringe zones experience the highest regeneration rates, even in the absence of dedicated public initiatives. "Even without specific policies, urban fringes already show significant regeneration rates, indicating significant potential for forest restoration. This process could be stimulated and expanded through public policies focused on these areas, bringing restoration closer to the 96% of the state's population that currently lives in cities," said Jean Paul Metzger, professor at USP and BIOTA Synthesis coordinator.

In Sao Paulo's macrometropolis - an area with 174 municipalities - proximity to protected land like Serra do Mar State Park may support regeneration and reduce costs. Urban fringe restoration may be easier where land value and alternative use profit is low; however, the benefits expand greatly when projects occur near cities, impacting 32.7 million people and improving human health, climate regulation, extreme event mitigation, water and air quality, and recreation.

Of the total identified area, 235,000 hectares are in this macrometropolis and about 39,000 hectares are classified as permanent preservation zones needing urgent action under the national Forest Code. Ferreira added, "More detailed studies on ecological and socioeconomic suitability still need to be carried out to guide which strategies are most appropriate in each case."

The report cautions that urban fringes face competing uses such as agriculture and residential expansion. Restoration must adapt to these realities and avoid social risks like displacement or gentrification. Restoration approaches will vary: some locations will rely on natural regeneration, others on productive integration of native species, and some aim at enhancing green urban infrastructure.

The project was also supported by FAPESP initiatives on urban climate change resilience and postdoctoral research.

Research Report: Urban boundaries are an underexplored frontier for ecological restoration