Epitáfio: a floresta se despede da cidade?

Abstract

Mata da Izidora (Izidora Woods) is an urban forest located in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, the third largest metropolitan region of the country. It is the most extensive remnant of vegetation of this municipality that is not a conservation unit, covering an approximate area of 10,000,000 m², and a biodiversity relative to the transition between the Atlantic Forest and Brazilian Savanna Biomes. However, Mata da Izidora is threatened because it is susceptible to complex interactions inside and outside its boundaries. In its interior, there are particular rural properties, one quilombola community and three urban occupations. In addition to the internal interactions that influence the local dynamics, the interests of the public power and the real estate sector should also be taken into account. This study main aim is to "identify possibilities for the survival of urban forest fragments through social appropriations". In order to achieve this objective, we sought to extensively present the addressed issue through documents, reports, maps, figures, semi-structured interviews and poetry. In this scenario, a problematization of the reality of space and also a dialogue with the literature were carried out with the data obtained, in order to analyze the motivations for social coexistence or not with Mata da Izidora. As a result of the possibilities identified, this work recommended the creation of a conservation unit as an alternative to reconcile some of the yearnings for the area, suggesting a Sustainable Development Reserve for the Mata da Izidora (corresponding to category VI Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources of the IUCN Protected Area Categories System). With the reflections and considerations exposed, this work intends to contribute to the discussions on urban forest fragments and with other possibilities for the coexistence between nature and city.