‘We’re Planting the Future’: Reforestation Collective Action in Salgueiro Recovers Land Prone to Fires and Landslides with Native Atlantic Forest Fruit Trees

In addition to promoting knowledge exchange among residents, community organizers and volunteers, Time to Plant’s action sought to ensure effective environmental recovery. Photo: Amanda Baroni

On December 7, environmental agents, local organizers, residents and visitors gathered at Morro do Salgueiro, a favela in Tijuca, in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, for a collective action reforesting local Atlantic Forest land. The activity, organized by Salgueiro’s very own Time to Plant Regenerative Movement (Tempo de Plantar), was part of the Sustainable Favela Network’s (SFN)* Collective Calendar, aiming to restore an area called Caixa D’água de Faustino. Situated on one of Salgueiro’s highest points, the reforested area is frequently affected by fires and landslides.

Robson Basilio, the resident responsible for Salgueiro’s Time to Plant initiative, explained that this action is essential to reduce heat and prevent landslides in the community, both common occurrences in the region during summer.

“We come here, we plant… I’m always finding and planting saplings, even when there’s no [organized] action [going on]. I’ve been at this for over 20 years, in this rush. We’re always trying to plant. I take five or ten little saplings, go [plant them across the community] and done. We can’t leave any empty spaces, because when we came into this world, they were already here. So, we have to preserve [them].” — Robson Basílio

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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.