Spatial Distribution and Vegetation Cover of Green Areas in Curitiba, Parana state, Brazil

ABSTRACT Vegetation in cities presents ecological, aesthetic and social functions that improve urban quality of life. However, quantitative and qualitative studies on the spatial distribution of green areas (GA) are needed to promote their efficiency. The aim of this study was to identify the vegetation cover present in different types of GAs in Curitiba, Parana state, and analyze the spatial configuration along the urban landscape. The vegetation cover was identified by means of the Decision Tree classification of high spatial resolution satellite images - GeoEye-1. The results show that Curitiba has less than 5% of its area composed of GAs, with most of them presenting vegetation coverage above 70%. The distribution of these GAs is uneven in quantity and irregular in disposal.