Homegardens as a System for Restoration of Legal Reserves: Aspects of Forest Legislation

ABSTRACT The homegardens result from collective learning and fulfill environmental services, contributing to the agrobiodiversity conservation and food security. The present study analyzed whether legal mechanisms incorporate concepts on environmental services and if legal frameworks in the state of São Paulo include homegardens as a feasible system for restoration of legal reserve (RL) area. Revisions of Law nº 12.651/2012 and resolutions SMA nº 44/2008 and SMA nº 32/2014 were carried out. For each attribute regarding the environmental services, grades from zero (absent) to two (explicitly described) were assigned. In the legal frameworks, the concepts concerning production, regulation and support were present, with the absence of cultural ones. For the adoption of homegardes as a viable system for restoration in legal reserve area, precepts should be changed regarding the presence of exotic species, management and monitoring practices required in legal frameworks.