Atlantic Forest

The Atlantic Forest Southeast Reserves contain some of the best and most extensive examples of Atlantic Forest in Brazil. The 25 protected areas that make up the site display the biological wealth and evolutionary history of one of the most threatened biomes in the world.

The Atlantic Forest, or Mata Atlântica, runs along the coast of eastern and southeastern Brazil, stretching inland into Argentina and Paraguay. Although only a very small part of the original forests remain, it is still one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet.

The Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves consists of eight protected areas containing remnants of the Atlantic Forest, one of the richest tropical forest regions in the world. These reserves illustrate the evolution of the few remaining areas of Atlantic Forest in Brazil.

The Itaipu Biosphere Reserve covers an area of over 1,000,000 ha (2,500,000 acres) in eastern Paraguay. It comprises an area of semi-deciduous sub-tropical forest, also known as the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest.

The Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve is the pioneer of the Brazilian biosphere reserves. It covers essential portions of the Atlantic Forest in 14 Brazilian states. This unique ecosystem parallels the coast, comprising Serra Mantiqueira, Serra Geral, and Serra do Mar.

Both the Mbaracayú Forest Natural Reserve and the Bosque Mbaracayú Biosphere Reserve protect a hotspot of biodiversity in the Mata Atlántica biologic corridor. It is a tropical humid forest ecosystem, which includes low and medium altitude Atlantic semi-deciduous forests and savannas.

The Serra do Mar coastal forests in southeastern Brazil, an ecoregion of the tropical moist forests biome, represent the largest continuous block of montane Atlantic forest and one of the more remarkable centers of endemism in South America.