Here stands the Marco de Inauguração do Bosque da Barra Plaque. It marks a significant moment. This plaque commemorates the inauguration of the Bosque da Barra’s infrastructure. The inauguration happened in January 1981.
The then-mayor Júlio Coutinho led the ceremony. This event celebrated the newly constructed infrastructure within the Bosque da Barra. It signified progress and development for the area. The plaque itself bears an inscription. It reads “Prefeitura da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro Bosque da Barra Inaugurado em janeiro de 1981.” The inscription also names key figures. These figures are Governor Chagas Freitas. Also named is Prefeito Julio Coutinho. And Secretário de Obras e Serviços Públicos Renato da Silva Almeida.
The inauguration unveiled half of the Bosque da Barra. This area spanned 500,000 square meters. It included infrastructure services. There were two playgrounds. A natural lake was also included. The area featured three thousand typical restinga trees. Two kilometers of walkways were available. These were for horse-drawn carriages. They also provided space for bicycles and physical exercise.
The Bosque da Barra itself has an interesting history. It originally started as Parque Arruda Câmara. It was established by Municipal Decree number 4.105. This happened on June 3, 1983. Its creation aimed to conserve and protect natural resources. It also sought to recover them. The goal was to preserve ecologically significant ecosystems. They also wanted to maintain scenic beauty. And to guarantee leisure spaces.
The Bosque da Barra is in the Barra da Tijuca neighborhood. It lies on a quaternary sandy plain. Lagoons and restinga vegetation characterize this plain. The park regulates land occupation. This is in the face of urbanization. Urbanization began mainly in the 1960s.
Within the Bosque da Barra, diverse fauna and flora thrive. There are pioneer formations of marine influence. These are restingas. Species of closed arboreal-shrubby restinga exist. There are also flooded forests. Bromeliaceae and Amaryllidaceae are frequently seen.
The fauna includes butterflies. One notable species is the borboleta-da-praia. This species is nearly extinct in its natural habitat. 113 bird species have been recorded. This represents 20% of the municipality’s avifauna. The endangered tiê-sangue is present. Carnivorous mammals are also found. These include the Lontra longicaudis and Galictis gutata.
The Marco de Inauguração do Bosque da Barra Plaque reminds us. It commemorates the work done. It also reminds us of the ongoing commitment. It is a commitment to preserving this green space.