Our methodology weaves between four key aspects of Tijuca to foster arguments and action points.

History

To protect, you need to love;
to love, you need to know.

Faced with today’s socio-environmental challenges —especially those linked to the climate emergency— and the global goals for restoring deforested areas, the reforestation of the Tijuca Forest and other national forests within the Tijuca Massif, carried out in the second half of the nineteenth century, shows that with care, dedication, and time, restoration is possible. The Tijuca Forest stands as the longest-lasting and most emblematic reforestation initiative in Brazil, offering a timeless example for building greener, more biodiverse, and socially and environmentally just cities.

Since its foundation, the city of Rio de Janeiro had to deal with problems related to water supply. In the first half of the nineteenth century, the destruction and burning of extensive forested areas, together with the expansion of coffee plantations that replaced the native forest —especially in the Tijuca Massif, where the main watercourses supplying the city originated— made this problem even more severe. Urgent measures were therefore required to prevent a deeper crisis.

As early as 1817, with the “Decree prohibiting the cutting of trees, timber, firewood, and vegetation in all areas surrounding the springs of the Carioca River,” there was already some concern for the conservation of Rio de Janeiro’s forests. However, it was from 1861 onward, with the Ordinance of December 11, which established the “provisional instructions for the planting and conservation of the Tijuca and Paineiras forests,” that this story truly began to change.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, especially between the 1860s and 1890s, more than 150,000 seedlings —mostly of native species— were planted to restore the deforested areas. Among them were cedar, jequitibá, brazilwood (pau-brasil), and ironwood (pau-ferro), emblematic species of Brazil’s flora. Some of the seedlings, only 30 centimeters tall when planted at that time, can now be found as trees exceeding 30 meters in height - living records of the forest’s history.

First half of the 19th century

Destruction of forests and expansion of coffee plantations, worsening the water supply crisis.

1817

“Decree prohibiting the cutting of trees, timber, firewood, and vegetation in all areas surrounding the springs of the Carioca River.”

1861

Ordinance of December 11, 1861, which established the provisional instructions for the planting and conservation of the Tijuca and Paineiras forests.

1862

Beginning of the reforestation activities.

1862-1874
& 1890-1891

Manoel Gomes Archer, known as Major Archer, served as the administrator of the Tijuca Forest and was the main figure responsible for coordinating the plantings

1874-1888

Gastão d’Escragnolle, the Baron of Escragnolle, held the position of administrator of the Tijuca Forest.

Iconic view of Tijuca, “Vista Chineza” by Marc Ferrez (1885).

If you know your past,
you can fight for a future.

The Tijuca team counts the rings to understand the age of a fallen tree. Only a few trees were spared from the deforestation that occurred in the 19th century. This tree was at least 320 years old.

Biodiversity

A city is more than its buildings,
a forest is more than its trees.

Forests are a complex web of relationships; their existence is the result of an interwoven network of animals, plants, and microorganisms and the dynamism between them. Every species plays a fundamental role in maintaining, a forest today and into the future.

We are gathering information about animal and plant species in Tijuca and the surrounding Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area. We plan to map species occurrences within and outside the forest to determine the urban forest's contribution to biodiversity in Rio.

Tijuca is home to an ambitious rewilding project that has been reintroducing animals with the goal of having them assist forest regeneration. As we better understand which species are found in Tijuca, we will also build a better understanding of which species are missing and should be reintroduced to ensure future forest resilience.

So far, the following animal species are being reintroduced to Tijuca, and we are studying the role they play in the forest. All reintroduced species are frugivorous (fruit-eating, seed-dispersing) animals that are native to the area, but had been locally extinct in Tijuca for many decades.

Red-humped agoutis

(Dasyprocta leporina)

The reintroduction of agoutis started in 2010, and now there is a well-established population in Tijuca. Reintroduced agoutis have been recorded consuming more than 20 plant species, including the iconic “agouti-tree,” which had no disperser in Tijuca before the reintroduction.

Photo: Flávia Zagury

Brown howler monkeys

(Alouatta guariba)

The reintroduction of howler monkeys started in 2015 and is still ongoing. So far, 8 baby howlers were born in Tijuca after the reintroduction, and the reintroduced groups have been observed consuming more than 60 plant species, including endangered species that are unlikely to have other dispersers in Rio. People living near the park now also experience the majestic vocalization of howler monkeys, especially on windy days.

Photo: Luisa Genes

Yellow-footed tortoises

(Chelonoidis denticulatus)

The reintroduction of tortoises started in 2020 and is still ongoing. Over forty tortoises have been reintroduced and monitored for more than two years. Tortoises have had high survival over the years, and have consumed over 50 plant species, and have been found to control the population of an invasive plant species.

Photo: Marcelo Rheingantz

Blue-and-yellow macaws

(Ara ararauna)

The reintroduction of macaws is set to start in the end of 2025. Four macaws are already in Tijuca in acclimatization, getting trained and used to the new forest diet they are going to have in 2026.

Photo: Flávia Zagury

Ecosystemic
Services

The forest of Tijuca protects Rio de Janeiro and
provides different benefits for everyone in the city.

An area of research is dedicated to understanding and communicating the different aspects of what it means to have such an important forest within the city.

Temperature of Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro’s forests help cool the urban environment, lowering average temperatures by up to 1ºC and nearby neighborhood temperatures by as much as 4ºC, while preventing and mitigating urban heat islands.

Flooding of Rio de Janeiro

Protected areas in Rio de Janeiro reduce flood risk by approximately 20% through enhanced soil infiltration, which absorbs excess rainfall and lowers surface runoff, mitigating the occurrence of floods.

Coastal protection of Rio de Janeiro

The absence of protected areas in the city and the consequent loss of habitats increases vulnerability along the shoreline, with 71% of the coast facing intermediate to high risk from storms, coastal erosion and coastal flooding.

Culture

The forest of Tijuca doesn’t exist in a
glass box, and that is not the intention.

We interact in many different ways with this living ecosystem, from birding to trail walking, spiritual ceremonies, and artistic expression. Tijuca is part of the life of many Cariocas. We need to defend our interaction with the forest and understand if we have to modify some activities.

These activities also mean opportunities to defend collectively our forest. Here are some of the activities that are.

Rock climbing.

Hiking.

Birdwatching.