ABSTRACT
Lisbon has unique characteristics and hosts a higher average biodiversity than other European cities. Its Mediterranean climate allows the coexistence of different tree species, and the contact with other geographies and cultures resulting from the Portuguese discoveries contributed to the botanical richness of species from around the world. This study focused on the 1929 and 2014 tree inventories, which allowed a comparative analysis of the tree collections in Lisbon’s gardens, revealing similarities and singularities and tracing their evolution over time. Tree abundance and species richness increased between the two dates, as did the number of green areas in Lisbon. This tendency is explained by the introduction of Landscape Architecture in Portugal in the mid-20th century when landscape architects first became part of the Lisbon municipality; the Repartição de Arborização e Jardinagem was then created, launching an innovative period for the town’s green spaces, where aesthetics were articulated with contemporary landscape concepts such as ecology. The present study allowed us to assess the evolution of almost a century of plantations, providing tools to prepare the future of Lisbon’s urban ecology. Moreover, it significantly contributes to the understanding of Lisbon’s historical gardens and parks as a valuable natural and cultural heritage.
