Critical Urban Park in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone Is at Risk of Disappearing After Decades of Government Neglect

The history of Ary Barroso Park is marked by struggle, but also resilience. Photos by: Arthur Lucena

Located in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, Ary Barroso Park was inaugurated in 1964 as the largest green leisure area in the Leopoldina region. Designed with lakes, waterfalls, sports courts, playgrounds, and more than 300 plant species, the park once served as an important environmental and recreational space for local residents. However, decades of urban expansion, forced displacement policies, economic decline, and government neglect transformed the area into a symbol of environmental injustice. Today, the park has lost most of its trees, its lakes have dried up, and its infrastructure has deteriorated. Researchers and community organizations argue that its abandonment reflects broader patterns of environmental racism, as low-income and historically marginalized communities in the Leopoldina region continue to face unequal access to green spaces, environmental protection, and public investment.

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This article is part of a series created in partnership with the Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies at San Diego State University, to produce articles for the Digital Brazil Project on environmental justice in the favelas through RioOnWatch.