In the past 20 years, Brazilian man Helio da Silva has single-handedly planted around 40,000 trees in the urban jungle of Sao Paulo. Now, these trees have grown into a forest and have been designated as a park, making remarkable contributions to greening the environment.
According to reports from Agence France-Presse, da Silva hails from the town of Promissao, approximately 500 kilometers away from Sao Paulo. He moved to Sao Paulo, the largest city in Latin America, several decades ago.
In 2003, while taking a walk with his wife in an abandoned area of Sao Paulo, da Silva conceived the idea of planting trees. Without formal authorization or funding, he personally bought tree saplings and began planting trees in a location that was once a gathering place for drug users.
At the age of 73, da Silva said that when he started planting trees, people thought he was “crazy.” His motivation for tree planting stemmed from his desire to leave a legacy for the city. He said, “I couldn’t stop once I started.”
Approximately five years after he began planting trees, his efforts were recognized by the municipal government. They planned the land where he planted trees to become the Tiquatira Linear Park, the city’s first linear park.
Now, 20 years later, da Silva has planted over 40,000 trees. At today’s exchange rate, he spends about $7,000 per year on reforestation costs.
Tiquatira Linear Park now has 160 species of trees and attracts 45 bird species for habitat. The park stretches over 3.2 kilometers, with a width of 100 meters, making it one of the largest linear parks in the world.
69-year-old retired teacher Angela Maria Fiorindo Pereira, who often walks in the park, said, “Seeing how he has transformed this degraded area is amazing!”
Sao Paulo, with a population of 12 million, faces severe air pollution problems. Experts say that green spaces like this are crucial for reducing urban heat and improving air quality.
After retiring in 2022, da Silva spends an entire day in the park checking on the trees he planted, seeing if they need trimming or fertilizing.
He takes pride in what he does. He enjoys strolling among the trees, occasionally stopping to hug a tree trunk or pointing out the tree family from great-grandparents to grandchildren.
He said it takes about 10 minutes to plant a tree. Now he likes to whisper to them softly so others won’t think he’s crazy again.
Despite occasional volunteers helping out, his work ethic has not been affected by age. He hopes to eventually plant 50,000 trees.
*Prior Epoch Times report*
Previously, Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado also spent 20 years planting over 2 million trees, turning a barren land into a lush forest.
Salgado inherited family land in Minas Gerais in 1994, where only about 0.5% was covered with trees at the time.
With the help of his wife and others, Salgado began planting trees. This not only changed the ecological environment but also brought back insects, birds, and fish.
Salgado said, “All insects, birds, and fish have returned. I have been reborn due to the increase in trees – this is the most important moment.”