In 2003, a retired man planted trees on forgotten land alone; 20 years later, it had become one of Sao Paulo's largest urban forests
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In 2003, a retired man planted trees on forgotten land alone; 20 years later, it had become one of Sao Paulo's largest urban forests
TOI World Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Aug 01, 2026, 10:15 IST
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Between crowded roads and layers of concrete in São Paulo, a long strip of greenery now breaks up the city’s urban landscape. The area was not always a place where people came to walk beneath trees or watch birds. For years, it was an abandoned stretch of land known for neglect and insecurity. According to Forbes India, in 2003, Helio da Silva began planting there with little more than his own determination and personal savings. Many people thought the retired food industry executive had taken on an impossible task. Two decades later, thousands of trees stand where there was once little life, creating one of the city’s most unusual examples of grassroots urban restoration.
How one retired man turned an abandoned space into a growing forest
Da Silva’s connection with the land began during a walk with his wife, Leda, through an overlooked part of São Paulo. The area between two busy avenues had become a place few residents wanted to visit. Instead of seeing only its problems, he saw the possibility of creating something different.At the time, he had no official support, no large team and no organised funding behind him. He began by purchasing and collecting plant cuttings, then putting them into the ground himself. The work was slow and repetitive, but he continued returning to the site.The former executive used money from his own pocket to maintain the project, spending around $7,000 a year by his estimate. He planted trees, cared for young saplings and gradually changed the appearance of the neglected land.His approach was simple: keep planting and allow the landscape to evolve.
How years of planting transformed a concrete landscape
The transformation eventually caught the attention of local authorities. Five years after Da Silva began his efforts, São Paulo officially recognised the area as the city’s first linear park.Today, Tiquatira Park stretches for about 3.2 kilometres, covering a narrow corridor of land around 100 metres wide. It contains thousands of trees representing around 160 species, creating a green pathway through one of the world’s largest cities.
The park has also become home to wildlife that was once absent from the area. Municipal surveys have recorded dozens of bird species living among the trees, adding another layer of life to a space that was previously considered degraded.For residents who use the park regularly, the change is visible. Angela Maria Fiorindo Pereira, a retired teacher who walks there often, described seeing the difference between the neglected site of the past and the wooded area that exists today.
The man who still cares for the forest he created
Although Da Silva retired in 2022, his connection with the park has not faded. He still spends much of his time walking through the area, checking whether trees need care, pruning or compost.At 73, he continues to monitor the plants almost like a caretaker of a living collection. He keeps photographs showing the land’s transformation and often carries albums that document how the empty spaces gradually became filled with trees.Visitors who recognise him frequently stop to speak with him. Some know him simply as the man who planted the park.Da Silva says planting a cutting takes only a few minutes, but maintaining thousands of trees requires years of attention. He has developed his own routine with the plants, including quietly speaking to them while working. He jokes that he does so because he does not want people to think he is “crazy” again.
Why urban forests matter in a city of millions
São Paulo is home to around 12 million people and faces many of the environmental pressures common to major urban centres. Dense construction, traffic and pollution have shaped much of the city’s landscape.Green areas such as Tiquatira Park provide cooler spaces within heavily built neighbourhoods. Trees can help reduce heat, improve local air conditions and create habitats for birds and other urban wildlife.The importance of such spaces has become more noticeable as extreme weather and environmental challenges affect cities around the world. Small pockets of vegetation can change how neighbourhoods feel and function, especially in areas dominated by concrete.
The man who turned tree planting into a lifelong mission
Despite the scale of what he has already achieved, Da Silva does not consider the work complete. His target is to plant 50,000 trees.He continues to receive occasional assistance from volunteers, but much of the responsibility remains his own. What began as an individual effort has grown into a public green space used by thousands of people.His business card carries a simple description: “Helio da Silva, Tree Planter.” It reflects a role he created for himself more than two decades ago, when he decided that a forgotten piece of São Paulo could become something else.The trees now standing across Tiquatira Park are the result of that decision, one planting at a time.
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