Goiânia is titled by many as the green capital. However, while in parks, for example, it is still possible to find several trees research reveals. Being the same, it is not noticeable on the sidewalks and flowerbeds of some of the main roads in Goiânia.
The continuous decrease in afforestation to make way for commercial spaces, for example, in neighborhoods such as the Center and the Marista sector, was investigated in the doctoral research of the professor of the Campus Goiânia of the Federal Institute of Goiás (IFG), Fábio de Souza.
The study reveals that the removal of trees from sidewalks and flowerbeds in these sectors is the result of the confrontation between the expansion of commercial use. of areas to the detriment of road afforestation.
In the thesis entitled Urban Arborization and Healthy Cities: tree suppression index in the road system and its influence on the valuation of commercial property, defended in 2019, Professor Fábio de Souza proved the tree suppression in regions in the Center and in the Marista sector.
Removal of Trees
Therefore, from the analysis of maps and historic aerial photos of roads in these two neighborhoods, for the development of an index that would prove the relationship between the tree removal process. This being so especially from the sidewalks, and the growth of commercial areas. The professor's doctoral research was also the subject of a report in the newspaper O Popular on January 6
The interest in the research was to investigate changes in land use in the areas of the Central and Marista sectors. According to the thesis, some of the main roads of these sectors, which were previously appropriated mainly by residences. Although they were progressively, over the years, modified as a result of the growth of commercial lots, resulting in impacts on afforestation.
“Commerce is taking everything”
“Naturally, in all cities, occupations by residences occur first. Behind people comes commerce. Commerce then takes over. People end up being expelled, because the place is losing a lot of quality of life due to commerce. And, as the commercial areas increase, the space for afforestation is also losing, especially the trees on the sidewalks”, explains professor Fábio de Souza.
For the investigation of the study, the professor chose to analyze the section of the historic triangle in the Central region, known as the “Manto de Nossa Senhora”, which consists of the areas delimited by Avenidas Tocantins, Goiás, Araguaia and Praça Cívica. In the Marista sector, the survey area comprises the roads: Avenida D, Rua 87, Rua 148, Avenida 136, Rua 90, Alameda Americano do Brasil, Alameda Coronel Eugênio Jardim, Alameda Coronel Joaquim de Bastos, Avenida 85 and Avenida Mutirão .
In addition, interviews were conducted with students, residents and traders from the Central and Marista sectors. However, with the aim of evaluating people's perception of the relationship between afforestation and commercial areas, research reveals.
Interview responses showed that most people would agree to pay a higher price for merchandise sold in stores along the tree-lined street. That is, the interviewees added value and valued the afforestation of commercial roads.
Results
According to the survey data reveals, in the areas in the Central region, in 1961, there were 2,125 specimens of trees. Therefore, 1,604 (75,48%) are laid out on the sidewalks and 521 (24,52%) in the flowerbeds.
In 2016, the number of trees in the same region dropped to 1,516 specimens. Although with a record of 1,027 (48,33%) trees on the sidewalks and 489 (23,01%) in the flowerbeds.
In this same location, in 1961, there were a total of 264 commercial lots on the streets of the Central sector, increasing to 725 commercial lots in 2016.
In the Marista sector, the total number of trees found was 4,282 specimens in 1992, distributed in: 3,280 (76.60%) on the sidewalks, 912 (21.30%) in the median and 90 (0.21%) in the squares.
In 2016, the total number of specimens of trees dropped to 3,585, with 2,667 (62,28%) being recorded on sidewalks, 834 (19,48%) in medians and 84 (1,96%) in squares.
From another point of view, there has been an increase over the years in areas of commercial use in the Marista sector. Although registering, in all, 320 commercial lots in 1992, which increased to 1,455 in 2016.
About these changes, the professor points out: “The Center has been losing trees for a long time. But the Marist sector lost too much. It was a sector full of trees and today, practically, most of the trees are just in the squares”.
