Agrobiodiversity Handled in Urban Agroforestral Homegardens

Growing Herbal Remedies

Abstract

This work is a cut of a larger project of scientific initiation, developed by the same author, entitled "Characterization and mapping of agroforestry homegardens in urban landscape". The present work aims to identify medicinal plant species that are grown in homegardens of an urban neighborhood, close to the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), in Araras, SP. The cultivation of medicinal plants by the residents is important in the cases of immediate combat of some low risk diseases, which can be treated at home, being unnecessary, sometimes, going to the hospital. The use of these plants also reduces the costs with drugs, is a natural treatment of the disease, avoids the risk of side effects of synthetic drugs, serves as a preventive treatment and can also increase the autonomy of the resident who plants and treats with his/her herbs. This research sought to collect and analyze information on medicinal plants in the neighborhood Parque das Arvores, in Araras (SP), in order to identify the cultivated species. Data collection included visits to neighborhood residences. It was included in the research the yards with permeable area and plantations to which the residents allowed the access. 191 residences were visited and included 84 homegardens in the survey. 34 medicinal species cultivated were found, identified by common and scientific name and categorized by way of life and function. The results confirm the homegardens as important spaces for the decrease of the dependence of industrialized medicines.