Bertioga, a coastal city just 50 miles from São Paulo, Brazil, is a place where two worlds collide. On one side, you see a grid of streets, homes, and buildings. On the other, the endless green of the Atlantic Rainforest. From above, it’s a powerful image — human progress cut sharply into nature’s canvas.
A City on the Edge of the Forest
Bertioga isn’t only a beach town. It also shows the challenges of living next to one of the world’s most important ecosystems. The neat, planned layout of the city contrasts with the flowing shapes of rivers and trees. It’s a reminder of how quickly cities can grow into spaces once untouched.
The Atlantic Rainforest
Often overshadowed by the Amazon, the Atlantic Rainforest is a treasure of biodiversity. Many species that live here exist nowhere else. But like Bertioga shows, the forest is under constant pressure from urban expansion, farming, and infrastructure projects.
A Delicate Balance
The city and the forest now live side by side — but the balance is fragile. Bertioga is a snapshot of a global question: how do we build and grow while protecting the natural world that supports us?
