In the heart of the **East Zone of São Paulo**, one of the city’s most densely populated regions, a forest now flourishes where just two decades ago there was only garbage, debris, and neglect. This is the **Tiquatira Linear Park**, an oasis of 192 thousand square meters that offers shade, [biodiversity](https://noticiasambientales.com/compromiso-ambiental/la-recuperacion-de-bosques-en-brasil-generara-millones-de-toneladas-de-alimentos/), and recreational spaces for thousands of people. The transformation began thanks to one man: **Hélio da Silva**.
Known as “the tree planter,” 73-year-old Silva has spent the last 22 years **reforesting the Vila São Geraldo neighborhood** between the Penha and Cangaíba districts. Since 2003, he has planted over 41 thousand trees, all meticulously registered, with the dream of restoring the area to its original **Atlantic Forest** coverage, one of the **most threatened biomes in Brazil**.
“I am going to restore the trees that were here 150 or 200 years ago,” he told his wife at the beginning of his project. Against the skepticism of friends, family, and neighbors, and after seeing his first seedlings being destroyed, Silva did not give up. “The more they destroyed, the more trees I planted,” he recalls.
## From personal dream to public policy
Silva’s persistence caught the attention of the then-Secretary of the Environment, Eduardo Jorge, who decided to support the initiative and integrate it into the **city’s green area expansion plan**. With this boost, the park began to take shape and is now the longest in São Paulo: **a 3-kilometer-long green corridor along the Tiquatira stream**, where garbage was turned into a forest.
But Tiquatira is much more than just trees. It is a habitat for **toucans, cicadas, and dozens of birds**, as well as having sports tracks, a skate park, trails, and an amphitheater. “I always planted a fruit tree for every twelve trees. It’s a way to attract life,” explains Silva.
Beyond its beauty and leisure, the park also provides relief from urban heat. “You can feel the freshness here, even coming from the nearby street,” says Mariana, a young woman who visits to exercise. Physicist Regina Maura de Miranda, from the University of São Paulo, emphasizes that **wooded areas** like this one “are key to reducing temperatures in densely urbanized areas.”
## A transformation of infrastructure that represents a life change
Neide, who works in the park selling drinks, affirms that **the transformation of Tiquatira changed her life**. “This place represents my history, my livelihood, and my friendships. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Silva, who still walks through the park daily, **continues to plant trees on his own**. His next goal is to **reach 50 thousand trees**. Additionally, he dreams of setting up public libraries inside the park and fostering a new generation of **green guardians**.
“I made a deal with God: I won’t die, I will turn into a tree,” he says with a laugh. “And when you come to talk to me, maybe I’ll answer you… just don’t be scared.” Tiquatira, today, is a testimony that a single citizen can regenerate not only the environment but also the spirit of an entire community.
## Dellepiane Highway: Close to becoming the first “Parkway-Highway”
The comprehensive plan also includes the creation of a **linear parkway of 260,000 square meters**, with pedestrian paths, rest areas, exercise machines, and recreational spaces. Additionally, **urban infrastructure improvements** will be carried out, such as repairing concrete slabs, building new sidewalks and elevated crossings, and **optimizing the drainage system to mitigate floods** in the Cildañez Basin.
With an investment that already exceeds 100 million dollars, the transformation of the Dellepiane highway aims to turn it into **a model of sustainable mobility** and an integrated urban space for the residents of Lugano and Parque Avellaneda. The works are estimated to be completed by 2027.
Source: BBC
