Analysis of the adequacy of landscape composition to the semi-arid of squares in Montes Claros

Public green areas such as squares, especially in semi-arid regions, should be planned with the choice of more resistant species that require less labor and water for irrigation. This study is aimed at analyzing the suitability of three public squares of Montes Claros to local climatic conditions and the potential for the introduction of sustainable gardens in this municipality. Three squares of Montes Claros, Southeastern Brazil, whose biome is the Cerrado, were evaluated in terms of the total number of individuals (trees, palms, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants) and analyzed accor- ding to the literature regarding their classification in relation to origin (exotic or native), drought tolerance, and the benefits they bring to fauna. Among the squares studied, it was observed that Duque de Caxias was the one with the highest percentage of drought-tolerant plants and that bring benefits to the fauna proportionally to the total number of plants. This square was also the one with the highest percentage of native plants (25.93%), however this value is still low for the edaphoclimatic conditions of the region, which, due to the scarcity of water, requires a greater number of drought-tolerant native plants. It is concluded that the studied squares have many exotic plants that are demanding in maintenance and therefore there is a need for their gradual replacement in sustainable landscaping projects, especially with the use of a greater number of native species suitable for semi-arid conditions.