A man has planted more than 41,000 trees in the city in 20 years (4 photos + 1 video)

The man was a successful businessman for many years, but after retirement he took up the task of turning the banks of the Tikvatira River into a real oasis.





Retired businessman Helio da Silva has personally planted more than 41 thousand trees in his hometown of Sao Paulo (Brazil) over the past two decades. Flying over the metropolis, it is difficult not to notice the green strip of trees 3.2 kilometers long and 100 meters wide, which stretches between the two busiest highways. These plantings are called the "Tikvatira Linear Park".



73-year-old Helio da Silva is a native of the town of Promissao, 500 km from Sao Paulo. The man had been a successful businessman for many years, but after retiring, he took up the task of turning the banks of the Tikvatira River into a real oasis. He began planting trees in 2002 and has not stopped since then, explaining his motivation by his gratitude to the city that once welcomed him so warmly.

In the first four years of the grandiose project, da Silva single-handedly planted 5,000 trees in a depressed area that had long been abandoned. For every 12 trees, the enthusiast planted one fruit-bearing species, hoping to attract birds and animals there. The idea worked, as the park is now home to about 45 species of birds.





The Tikvatira Linear Park already has more than 41,000 trees, but Helio da Silva has no plans to stop until it crosses the 50,000 mark.

"Trees give us flowers and fruits, absorb rainwater, attract birds and provide shade and fresh air," da Silva explains in an interview with journalists.



The man spends about $7,000 a year planting trees, but he thinks it's a worthwhile investment in the city's future.