Local Assessment of Rio de Janeiro City: Two Case Studies of Urbanization Trends and Ecological Impacts

Rio de Janeiro's urban expansion, driven by economic growth, is significantly altering its ecological landscape, particularly within the Atlantic Forest, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. This study highlights two contrasting case studies: Misericórdia Massif, where community-led efforts aim to restore ecosystem services amid dense urbanization, and Barra da Tijuca, a newly developed area where developers complied with environmental laws by protecting ecological parks. Despite differing motivations—community-driven restoration versus regulatory compliance—the forests in both areas provide irreplaceable ecosystem services. The findings underscore the potential for biodiversity to play a central role in urban planning and ecosystem retrofitting, offering practical models for balancing urbanization with ecological preservation.

Herzog, C. P., & Finotti, R. (2013). Local Assessment of Rio de Janeiro City: Two Case Studies of Urbanization Trends and Ecological Impacts. Urbanization, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Challenges and Opportunities, 609–628. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7088-1_29