Brazil has committed with the Bonn Challenge to restore 12 million hectares of degraded lands by 2030. This pledge is particularly important because Amazon and Atlantic Forest biomes have lost 22% and 74% of their original cover, respectively. Therefore, the country has a huge task for the following years. A significant part of these hectares to be restored are degraded pastures in tropical regions, covered by aggressive non-native C4 grasses, making these landscapes very difficult to restore by natural forest regrowth. Under these conditions, the strategy is to plant native tree species using the best silvicultural practices to ensure survival and high productivity. Unfortunately, this is not a viable option for landowners who try to restore forest ecosystems. With the undesirable competition with grasses, the resource-use rate (light, water, and nutrients) for the trees is low, leading to high mortality and marginal growth. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of intensive silviculture, similar to commercial plantations of Eucalyptus, applied to mixed-species plantations for restoration purposes. To assess the effects of silvicultural practices to increase survival, growth, and carbon sequestration in forest restoration plantations, we integrated data up to 20 years from 3 experimental sites in different locations testing variations in planting spacing, soil preparation, competing vegetation control and fertilization. Intensive silvicultural practices on early stages of these restored areas, until canopy closure, were critical for the success of the planting project, with intensive competing vegetation control acting as the main important factor for increasing survival and growth. Carbon sequestration in aboveground biomass under intensive silviculture can reach up to 4 Mg.ha-1.year-1, compared to ~1 Mg.ha-1.year-1 under low silviculture. Under intensive silviculture, canopy closure occurred at 3.5 to 4 years after planting, leading to competing veg