Benjamim Maranhão Botanical Garden and the Mata do Buraquinho

A remnant of urban forest with free guided trails underpins João Pessoa's claim to be a tree-filled city.

The Benjamim Maranhão Botanical Garden is located within the Mata do Buraquinho Wildlife Refuge, a fully protected conservation unit administered by Sudema (Paraíba's Superintendency for Environmental Administration) that covers, according to the agency itself, about 512.9 hectares within the urban perimeter of the state capital, in the Torre neighborhood. It is one of the few remnants of forest close to the Atlantic Forest preserved within an urban grid in Brazil.

Public visits run from Tuesday to Saturday, from 8 am to 4:30 pm, with entry allowed until 4 pm, and the administrative offices are open Monday to Friday during business hours, according to information from Sudema. The free guided trails take place Tuesday to Saturday, with departures at 9 am and 2 pm, and require long pants and closed-toe shoes (sneakers or boots) due to the forest terrain. The whole activity is free of charge, but it's recommended to confirm times and availability by phone or official WhatsApp before going.

João Pessoa has carried for decades the informal label of "second most tree-filled city in the world" or "greenest city in the world." This specific claim has no identifiable primary study or international ranking to back it up. What does exist is the city's recognition by the Tree Cities of the World program, promoted by the FAO (the UN's agriculture and food agency) in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation of the United States — a seal awarded to cities with good urban tree management practices, not a comparative ranking of "greenest city on the planet."

For visitors, the practical point is that the Mata do Buraquinho offers real contact with native fauna and flora just minutes from downtown, with no need to travel to rural areas.