1. Rio de Janeiro in-depth
social ecological analyses
Cecilia P. Herzog and Ricardo Finotti
Cities and Biodiversity Outlook
A preview of the first global assessment
Rio de Janeiro, June 18th, 2012

2. Summary
• Rio de Janeiro Occupation and Context
• Case 1: Verdejar NGO – Inhaúma District
• Case 2: Restored Parks – Barra da Tijuca
District
• Final Considerations

3. Rio de Janeiro Context

4. Rio de Janeiro
City Limits
Massifs and River basins
1
Source: Prefeitura do Rio de Janeiro

5. 1 - Maracanã river lowlands
2008
1808
Pereira (Guta), 2008

6. 04.26.2011 Maracanã “River”

7. Rio de Janeiro
City Limits
Massifs and River basins
1
2
Source: Prefeitura do Rio de Janeiro

8. 2 - Rodrigo de Freitas Ocean Lagoon

9. Rua Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro 06.04.2010 (crédito: Alex Herzog)
04.06.2010
Rua Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro ,1988 More than 250 deaths in
http://aleosp2008.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/rua-jardim-botanico-rj-1988_11-29-
2008.jpg em 02.05.09 the State of Rio de Janeiro

10. Rio de Janeiro
City Limits
Massifs and River basins
1
3 2
Urban sprawl induced by new transit Prefeitura do Rio de Janeiro
Source: system –
new tunnel and highways

11. Vulnerable Areas to Sea Level rise
Sea level rise projection
Cotas em metros
0 - 0,50 1,00 - 1,50
0,50 – 1,00 1,50 – 2,00
(Gusmão, P.P. et al., 2008)

12. Barra da Tijuca
1960’s
2005

13. A NATUREZA está se tornando cada vez mais virtual...

14. Case Studies

15. (Instituto Pereira Passos - IPP a partir dos dados do IBGE - Censo 2010 and
http://sigfloresta.rio.rj.gov.br/)

16. 1. Misericordia Massif: Verdejar
2. Barra da Tijuca: Península, Gleba F and Mello Barreto Parks

17. 1. Misericordia Massif: Verdejar
Rio de Janeiro Context
2. Barra da Tijuca: Península, Gleba F and Mello Barreto Parks

18. Inhaúma District (Misericórdia Massif)
Verdejar (NGO)
Bottom-up Urban Biodiversity Restoration

21. Challenges in 1980’s:
• LOW SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL VALUE
• Degraded remnants of grassy areas, subject to
further invasion
• Area subject to recurrent fires in dry season
• Garbage dump slopes – NO PUBLIC SERVICES
• Low income residents
• Surrounded by favelas (slums)
• Lack of formal education
• Drug trafic controled region (until today).

22. Opportunities:
• Volunteer reforestation, agroforestry and food
production in more accessible areas to avoid further
illegal occupation and offer ECOSYSTEMS SERVICES to
local community residents since 1985, intensified in
1990’s.
• Verdejar promotes garbage collection,
environmental education, arts and culture events
regularly.
•“Mutirão Reflorestamento” (“Reforestation Common
Effort” - Public Reforestation Program in upper areas
since 1995)
• HIGH ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL VALUE TODAY

27. Barra da Tijuca District
Península, Mello Barreto and Gleba F Parks
Top-Down Urban Biodiversity Restoration

29. Challenges:
• Dregde dump area surrounded by mangrove
remnants in some areas
• Irregular occupation of lagoon margins
• Invisibility of the lagoon and natural ecosystems
(residents ignored their existence before – no social
value)
• Highly transformed landscape eliminated
ecosystems remnants – globalization and
homogeneization of plant species
• Lack of ecological education, comprehension and
value of natural areas

30. Opportunities:
• Environmental Legislation enforced the Real
Estate Entrepreneur/Owner to Preserve,
Conserve and Restore an area that
encompasses connected ecosystems
fragments.
• Protection and restoration of 460,000 m² of
protected forests along 6.5 Km of coastal
lagoons, in three PUBLIC ECOLOGICAL PARKS
• Visible native ecosystems and lagoon –
HIGH ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL VALUE

31. Before Occupation
Not dated probably early 1970’s

32. Case Study 2
December 1997 (Photo Carvalho Hosken)

33. Restored and Natural Parks
October 2008 (Photo Carvalho Hosken)

34. The pioneer Brazilian
ecological landscape architect,
Fernando Chacel was hired in 1986
to plan and design two parks to
conserve and restore degraded
mangrove and restinga (sandbank)
ecosystems.
The final building license was issued by the
City in 2005.
The parks were maintained by the owner
until the buildings were constructed and sold.

36. Gleba F Park Península Park
Mello Barreto
Espécie Park
ameaçada de
extinção
Colhereiro -
Ajaya ajaya
October 2008 (Photo Carvalho Hosken)

37. Threatened species
Ajaya ajaya

43. Final Remarks
The two case studies present substantially different social-
ecological contexts, although both provide abiotic, biotic
and cultural ecosystems services.
First case study: Verdejar participants have a deep
understanding of the ecosystems services the forest provide
locally, regionally and even globally, and continue to work
to improve the environmental legislation and governance.
Second case study: the interviewed residents were
attracted to live there because of the green areas, although
they only have a vague perception of the ecological benefits
of the forests. They value the biodiversity, and are eager to
learn more about the local ecosystems.

44. Final Remarks
The city faces URGENT CHALLENGES
to control urban sprawl and ecosystems
suppression.
The two cases are useful to inform future
actions and interventions where biodiversity
may play a central role in the planning, design
and retrofitting of urban ecosystems.

45. Thank you!
Cecilia P. Herzog and Ricardo Finotti
Cities and Biodiversity Outlook
A preview of the first global assessment
Rio de Janeiro, June 18th, 2012