Nature

The Atlantic Forest Great Reserve is home to an incredible diversity of landscapes and their associated ecosystems. It is important to consider the factors that have led this region to remain preserved while most of this biome has been systematically converted to other uses. In the first place, it must be considered that the Great Reserve follows a long stretch of the Serra do Mar; this rough topography has made it difficult to remove the vegetation, which has kept many of the species of wildlife that have been lost in other parts of the country. Furthermore, the BR-101, a federal highway that cuts through Brazil from North to South by the coast, does not cross this area, but instead makes a more inland route into the continent. The existence of major highways is directly related to the degradation of ecosystems all over the world, either because of the increasing real estate speculation or due to the easy access for the extraction of natural resources. This highway has had a major impact on the Atlantic Forest. The combination of these factors also resulted in the absence of large urban centers in this territory, and most of the cities have tourism as an important income source for their population.

Many people worked hard to create an extensive mosaic of protected areas that now guarantees the protection of most of the Great Reserve’s territory. Moreover, the Atlantic Forest Law of 2006, result of more than a decade of efforts for its resolution, ensures a special protection for the entire biome, including this area.

In this great continuum of natural vegetation, part of the habitats that are part of this biome are still found in a good state of conservation. This is due to its geographical range that starts on the coast, runs through bays, mangroves, and coastal plains, crosses the rough landscape of the Serra do Mar and is limited to the west by remnants of the Araucaria Forest. This characteristic guarantees the existence of a wide diversity of species, as well as completely distinct sceneries very close to each other.