Brazilian cities tighten urban tree planting and eradication rules

The municipality of Patos de Minas announced new urban arborisation guidelines, targeting the planting of 500 tree seedlings this year and a further 5,000 in the upcoming rainy season to restore the Mata do Catingueiro. The local code requires sidewalks wider than 1.5 m to have trees, mandates spacing of 5‑12 m between seedlings, and places maintenance responsibility on the adjacent property owner. Recommended species include Reseda, small‑to‑medium ipê and manacá‑da‑serra, while fruit trees are prohibited. Violations may be treated as environmental crimes and require prior digital authorization for pruning or removal.

In Barretos, the city council approved a law authorising the eradication of the invasive Leucaena tree, a Mexican‑origin species that threatens local ecosystems by forming monocultures. The municipal environment secretary will study removal methods after identifying existing stands, citing the tree’s aggressive seed and root enzymes as harmful to native flora.