'Friends of Utinga': new volunteering project to be launched this Saturday at the State Park
The initiative marks a new step towards the integration between community, nature, and sustainability, to stimulate the feeling of belonging, promote environmental education
This Saturday (7th), at 8 am, the Reception Center of the Utinga Camillo Vianna State Park in Belém will host the official launch of the "Friends of Utinga – Helping to Keep Belém Green" project. The initiative is a new step towards the integration between community, nature, and sustainability, to stimulate the feeling of belonging, promote environmental education, and strengthen the conscious use of one of the most important green areas in the Metropolitan Region of Belém.
The Utinga State Park, which spans over 1,300 hectares between the municipalities of Belém and Ananindeua, is one of the most relevant Conservation Units in Pará. Established in 1993, the space has honored the doctor and environmentalist Camillo Vianna since 2019. In addition to its recreational and tourist function, the Park plays a strategic role in the water supply of the capital, with the Água Preta and Bolonha springs, which together meet about 70% of the water demand in the Metropolitan Region of Belém.
The accelerated urbanization of Belém and the growing environmental challenges make it urgent to value green areas like Utinga. The volunteering project arises to engage with the commitments made at COP30 and with studies that point to the ecological, climatic, and social benefits of urban forests. Among the program's objectives are the expansion of environmental education, raising awareness in the surrounding community, and consolidating the Park as a reference in ecological tourism, sports, and sustainable leisure.
Natural Heritage - "The Friends of Utinga is more than a volunteering project; it is a collective call to take care of what is ours. The Park is an environmental, scientific, and emotional heritage of Belém, and it needs each one of us to continue fulfilling its role," said the president of Ideflor-Bio, Nilson Pinto. According to him, initiatives like this reinforce the role of society in the conservation of urban biodiversity.
The launch will feature a breakfast, a rhythm class with dance teacher and choreographer Rolon Ho, an interactive lecture about the Park's attractions, and the distribution of kits for the first 1,300 registered volunteers. These participants will also fill out a registration form that will allow the creation of a database for direct communication with visitors. The idea is to maintain a continuous link with the "Friends of the Park," promoting informative actions, invitations to events, and educational campaigns.
Stages - During the first phase of the project, which will continue until August, the affiliation of regular visitors to the Park will be encouraged — an estimated audience of about 50,000 people per month. The proposal is to create a participatory and educational environment, with guided trails, scavenger hunts, distribution of informational materials, meetings with schools and organized groups, such as cyclists, runners, and seniors.
The second phase, scheduled to start in September, will see the launch of an exclusive app for the Utinga State Park. The digital platform will serve to promote ongoing and seasonal activities, guide visitors through attractions, offer educational content, and encourage the enrollment of new volunteers. Technology will be an essential ally to strengthen the bond between the Park and its users, promoting sustainable practices in urban daily life.
"With the 'Friends of Utinga', Ideflor-Bio hopes to consolidate the Park as a model of participatory management and environmental education. More than protecting a natural space, the initiative aims to transform the relationship of the population with the urban forest, expanding access to knowledge and encouraging concrete actions for the preservation of green in the capital of the Amazon," concluded the president of Ideflor-Bio, Nilson Pinto.
