Urban forestry and public safety: a bibliometric study using consolidated Meta-analytical Theory

Abstract

Objective: To understand the contribution of urban forestry to the promotion of public security through a systematic integrative review of studies involving the relationship between urban forestry and crime. Methodology: The documents were extracted from the Web of Science database and analyzed using consolidated meta-analytical theory (CMAT). Relevance: Brazil is a country with high urbanization rates, where large cities have visible social inequality and high environmental degradation. Urban forestry provides ecosystem services that can mitigate various problems in the urban environment. However, there are few studies on the social aspects of urban vegetation. Moreover, there are no studies on the contribution of forestry to the promotion of public safety in Brazil. Results: A total of 198 studies were found: 66% were published in the last five years, and their main language was English. The affiliations of the most prominent authors and research funding agencies are in the United States of America, which is also the country with the highest number of publications, 46.9%. The most cited article shows that trees with tall crowns and low vegetation contribute to a reduction in crime. The main research fronts denote an interest in understanding the social aspects of urban forestry. Theoretical/methodological contributions: This study fills a gap by presenting a theoretical overview of studies related to urban forestry and crime using CMAT. Social contributions: This study is intended to spark novel discussions in Brazil on the role of urban forestry in the promotion of public security.