A space on the Botafogo waterfront, near the Betinho statue, hosts Planta+Rio.

This action is part of a program by the Secretariat of Environment and Climate in partnership with the Parks and Gardens Foundation. Photo: Press Release/SMAC

A space on the Botafogo beachfront, near the Betinho statue, hosts the Planta+Rio initiative. This action is part of a program by the Secretariat of Environment and Climate in partnership with the Parks and Gardens Foundation. Aldrago and Ingá seedlings were planted on Tuesday (March 3rd) around the statue honoring sociologist Herbert de Souza, known as Betinho, on Botafogo Beach, in Rio's South Zone. The action is part of Planta+Rio, a program of the Secretariat of Environment and Climate (SMAC) in partnership with the Parks and Gardens Foundation (FPJ). The project aims to plant 200,000 seedlings by 2028, from its launch date in December 2025.

Present at the planting alongside city residents, the Secretary of Environment and Climate, Tainá de Paula, reinforced the symbolism of the action near Betinho's statue and also highlighted the participation of the population as crucial to the success of the program:

– Planta+Rio works alongside several other initiatives, such as the Green Corridors and the Carioca Forests. But Planta+Rio is a call to action for the population. In fact, it's a great environmental education program so that we understand our responsibility.

The president of the Parks and Gardens Foundation, Ricardo Pinheiro, praised the collective work carried out by Planta+Rio:

– It's a joint project that plays the role of ensuring the process of reforestation and urban afforestation, demonstrating care for our city, with the goal of creating a more pleasant environment collectively.

Statue of Betinho

Signed by the artist Edgar Duvivier, the bronze sculpture in homage to Betinho references the fable of the hummingbird, which inspired the sociologist. The tale tells of a hummingbird that, during a forest fire, would throw small amounts of water and reply that it was doing its part to alleviate the fire. Installed on the sandy strip of Botafogo beach, facing Rua São Clemente, the work was inaugurated in March 2024, resulting from a partnership between Ação da Cidadania, AfroReggae, and the Special Secretariat for Youth of Rio de Janeiro. The location was chosen because Betinho – born on November 3, 1935, in the small town of Bocaiúva, Minas Gerais – lived in the neighborhood until the end of his life in 1997. A human rights activist, he conceived and dedicated himself to the Ação da Cidadania project against Hunger, Misery, and for Life.

Plant+River

The Planta+Rio program was launched in December by the Municipal Secretariat for the Environment and Climate (SMAC). This innovative project by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall aims to transform the urban landscape with the direct participation of Rio residents. On December 11, 2025, the planting of the first tree on Rua Felisbelo Freire, in Ramos, in the North Zone, marked the beginning of the program in partnership with the Parks and Gardens Foundation, which allows residents from all areas of the city to request seedlings through the 1746 hotline.

The Planta+Rio project plans to expand the city's street tree cover between 2025 and 2028 with native species from the Atlantic Forest on sidewalks, squares, and other public areas, in a project aligned with the city's Sustainable Development and Climate Action Plan (PDS).

Residents can make requests through all services at the 1746 call center:
WhatsApp:1746 (3460-1746);
Site: 1746 (www.1746.rio);
Call 1746 or use the 1746 app.