Espaços livres e arborização: uma análise do subúrbio ferroviário do Rio de Janeiro

The railway suburb of Rio de Janeiro (Planning area 3 – AP3) has the highest population density and number of residences of the city, as well as the highest number of houses in precarious conditions. Furthermore, this area is negatively marked by an intense land occupation, mostly irregular, and a lack of open spaces, like squares, parks and other leisure spaces. In this context, our research used a multi-method analysis for identifying, quantifying and categorizing the open spaces and vegetation of the AP3 area. The analysis confirmed the high levels of occupation and privatization of the land by showing that 64% of the territory is occupied. Besides having the highest occupancy rate in the city, this region also has the lowest percentage of public open spaces per hectare. The vegetation analysis revealed that 83% of the vegetated area is found in private spaces, in contrast to 17% found in public spaces, which highlights the relevance of private open spaces for the maintenance of the vegetation in this region. In such a consolidated area like the AP3, which is densely occupied and with high average temperatures, the private open spaces and its vegetation are important regulators of the climate, compensating for the poor urban infrastructure in the railway suburb of Rio de Janeiro. The analysis highlights the importance of preserving the vegetation in open space systems and can be used as an important tool for future urban planning actions, in collaboration with public policies for the improvement of the landscape.