Urban Gardens’ Potential to Improve Stormwater Management: A Comparative Analysis among Urban Soils in Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Permeable surfaces are increasingly rare in urban centers, but they have the utmost importance for stormwater infiltration. In this context, green spaces are key to reducing problems caused by runoff. This work aimed to evaluate the physical characteristics of the soil used for agroecological gardening, in comparison with parks, wasteland, and riparian forest in Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil. During the one-year data collection, urban gardens were superior to other areas in hydraulic conductivity (35.8 mm h−1), humidity (25.8%), and soil penetration resistance (1.21 MPa). On the other hand, the riparian forest showed signs of soil degradation, with low water infiltration rates (121.9 mm h−1) and humidity (14.4%). These findings highlight the importance of better soil management solutions to avoid compaction, such as the protection and conservation of riparian forests. Furthermore, the encouragement of urban gardens and parks with multiple uses can be an option for the enhancement of stormwater management in cities, since this practice has the potential to improve the physical characteristics of urban soils and provide several ecosystem services.