Resumo. Cupressus lusitanica has a relatively low potential for fostering colonization of native species beneath the forest canopy. However, following the clearcut of a Cupressus lusitanica plantation in the State Forest of Avaré (SFA), southeastern Brazil, a vigorous regeneration of Atlantic forest tree and shrub species was observed. We evaluated the passive restoration of this site by comparing its regenerating vegetation to the vegetation established in man-made gaps in Atlantic forest in the State Park of Cantareira (SPC), southeastern Brazil. The frequency distribution of dispersal syndromes for species and the rate of reduction in abundance of pioneer species in a rank/abundance plot did not differ between the two areas. The rarefaction curves for species richness and diversity of the SPC fall below the corresponding curves of the SFA. The proportions of non-pioneer species and of individuals of non-pioneer species were greater in the SFA. The frequency distribution of dispersal syndromes for individuals differed between the two areas due mainly to a more conspicuous predominance of zoochory in the SFA. The rate of reduction in abundance of non-pioneer species in a rank/abundance plot was smaller in the SFA. We concluded that passive restoration may successfully recover native vegetation attributes following the clearcut of forest plantations without conspicuous regeneration of native species beneath the forest canopy. However, this phenomenon may be influenced by particular properties of the forest species, logging practices and faunal seed dispersal integrity.