Forest Seedlings Supply for Restoration of the Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract Half of the territory in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) state is composed of degraded areas. This work evaluated the profile, distribution, and production capacity of plant nurseries in RJ which produce forest seedlings, as well as their species’ richness. The potential to meet the increased demand arising from environmental commitments in different hydrographic regions was also analyzed. We identified 81 active forest seedling nurseries and 73 of them participated in our interview, by adopting a regional survey. Nearly one-third of the nurseries closed down in this region in the last decade. A high richness of species in the nurseries (977 species, 99 native species/nursery) was found, representing 22% of the regional flora. Most of this species’ richness is exclusively produced by small nurseries. The current production of the nurseries is capable of supplying less than 1% of the potential demand for seedlings for restoring priority watershed areas in the state.