Forest restoration faces financial constraints due to land opportunity costs and delayed returns from ecosystem services and timber production. A socially fair bioeconomy of non-timber products from native species is a promising pathway to overcome these challenges. We investigated the bioeconomic potential of native species in the reforested lands of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. A forest inventory across 46 plots (41 400 m2) in regenerating forests revealed 5181 individuals and 329 species. A review of 603 articles showed 167 species (59%) with bioeconomic potential. Medicinal (58%), cosmetic (12%), and food (5%) uses predominated. Leaves were the most used plant part. Of 2520 patents, we found 78 species patented in 61 countries (8% in Brazil). Only 13% of studies reached the final product stages. The palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana and Euterpe edulis) and the conifer (Araucaria angustifolia) highlight how native species synergistically improve the restoration's supply of resources to the biotech industry.
Keywords: Biodiversity; Cost-effective restoration; Multifunctional forests; Native species; Nature-based solutions; Sustainable development.
© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.