Salesópolis

Salesópolis is a Brazilian municipality in the state of São Paulo, located at the eastern edge of the São Paulo Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, within the Upper Tietê River Basin, approximately 100 kilometres from the state capital. The municipality comprises the main town and the district of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.

Salesópolis is one of the areas in the region that still features extensive native vegetation, while also experiencing the typical pressures of both urban and rural zones, including illegal land subdivision, as well as unregulated agroforestry and tourism activities.

Six notable characteristics stand out in Salesópolis:

1. The still-preserved natural environment and relatively small urban area
2. The headwaters of the Tietê River, which remain little known despite the national importance of this watercourse
3. The presence of reservoirs and islands, with about eighty miles of shoreline, regarded as assets of aesthetic and scenic value
4. The proximity to the Serra do Mar and the inclusion of its territory within the Serra do Mar State Park
5. The extensive reforestation with eucalyptus
6. The horticulture and fruit farming found in the municipality, particularly around the District of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.

Salesópolis was founded in the 19th century as São José do Paraitinga, and later became the parish of Santana de Mogi das Cruzes in 1838. The parish was elevated to municipality status on March 24, 1857, but renamed Salesópolis in 1905 after a visit of the president of Brazil, Campos Sales (1841–1913).