Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

You are here: Home Our Resources Library Citations Fire and restoration ...

Fire and restoration of the largest urban forest of the world in Rio de Janeiro City, Brazil

Reference Type
Journal, Research (Article)

This study identified locations and causes of forest fires, and makes management recommendations to restore damaged areas. [UMN]

"National Park of Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) is about 3,300 ha and considered the largest urban forest in the world. Its floristic composition is typical of Atlantic Rain Forest. The reserve is being altered because of fire occurrences and urban expansion. This study identified locations and causes of forest fires, and makes management recommendations to restore damaged areas. From 1991 to 2000, forest firefighters recorded an average of 75-fire occurrences/year. Identified causes included hot air balloons (24%), intentional (24%), rubbish burning (21%) and religious practices (17%). Primary fuels included invasive grasses and ferns. Although hot air balloons destroyed larger areas of forest in each occurrence, a greater number of fires started in the invasive vegetation along roads that bisect the forest. In response to recurrent forests, invasive vegetation has spread gradually into the forest increasing forest degradation. To decrease fire damage, sites with high fire frequencies and density of invasive vegetation were planted with less flammable species. Results indicate that fire frequency decreased and density of invasive vegetation declined. This approach appears to prevent fire incidence, reduce the need for fire fighting, and preserve existing biodiversity." [Abstract]

Authors
D.M.S. Matos, C.J.F. Santos, D.R. Chevalier
Date Published
2003
Journal/Conference
Urban Ecosystems
Publisher
Chapman & Hall
Publisher Location
London ENG (UK)
ISBN/ISSN
1083-8155
Volume/Issue/Number
6//3
Start Page
151
End Page
161
Sub-Topics
Biodiversity, Community Forestry, Fire, Interface
State(s)/Region(s)
South America
Keywords
Fire, Interface, Leaf characteristics, Wildfire, WUI
Libraries
UMN
Personal tools

powered by Southern Regional Extension Forestry