Central Atlantic Forest Ecological Corridor

The Central Atlantic Forest Ecological Corridor (Portuguese: Corredor Central da Mata Atlântica is an ecological corridor in the states of Espírito Santo and Bahia, Brazil. It promotes improvements to connectivity between fragments of Atlantic Forest in the region with the goal of maintaining genetic health among flora and fauna. The greater Atlantic Forest is also home to many native endangered or vulnerable species that are endemic to this part of the globe including but not limited too the: Golden lion tamarin, Three-toed sloth, and the Bristle-spined rat. The Central Ecological Corridor is beneficial in connecting hundreds of at-risk populations experiencing reduced gene flow and genetic variation due to deforestation.

Central Atlantic Forest Ecological Corridor
Corredor Central da Mata Atlântica
Map showing the location of Central Atlantic Forest Ecological Corridor
Map showing the location of Central Atlantic Forest Ecological Corridor
Coordinates16°46′08″S 39°12′20″W / 16.768764°S 39.205427°W / -16.768764; -39.205427
DesignationEcological corridor
CreatedMarch 2002
AdministratorFederal Ministry of the Environment

History edit

The corridor was created as part of the Ecological Corridors Project, for which the final evaluation was completed by the Ministry of the Environment in December 2000. A grant agreement between the World Bank and the Ministry of the Environment was signed in December 2001. The project was effective as of March 2002.[1] Priority was given to the implementation of the Central Amazon Ecological Corridor and the Central Atlantic Forest Ecological Corridor to test different conditions in the two biomes and use the lessons learned to prepare and support creation of other corridors.[2]

In the central corridor the state committees of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve act as project management committees, with representatives from traditional populations, environmental NGOs, producers and businesses and the three levels of government.[3] The strategy is to ensure protection of significant forest remnants and gradually increase the amount of connection between core portions of the landscape through control, protection and recovery of forest cover and development of sustainable production activities that contribute to the connections.[4]

Location edit

As of 2006 the corridor had over 8,500,000 hectares (21,000,000 acres), covering the whole of Espírito Santo and the south of Bahia.[5] As of 2006 the corridor included 83 protected areas. Of these, state-level units accounted for 53% of the area, 16 federal units covered 245,036 hectares (605,500 acres) and private reserves covered 11,145 hectares (27,540 acres).[6]

As of 2015 the Central Atlantic Forest Corridor encompassed an area of about 21,500,000 hectares (53,000,000 acres), and extended about 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) from north to south. This included areas of sea up to the edge of the continental shelf. About 95% of the corridor was privately owned land, in 163 municipalities. There were 128 conservation units covering about 2,200,000 hectares (5,400,000 acres). In Bahia there were 10 federal, 15 state, 7 municipal and 28 private natural heritage reserves. In Espírito Santo there were 21 federal, 17 state, 17 municipal and 41 private reserves.[7]

There are two centers of endemism. The region has various types of rainforest including semi-deciduous forest, restingas and mangroves along river estuaries.[5] The forest has great diversity of woody plant species. Up to 458 tree species have been found in 1 hectare (2.5 acres) of forest in southern Bahia.[8]

Conservation units edit

The lists of protected areas below exclude the many private reserves included in the corridor.

Fully protected units edit

Fully protected units in the corridor include:[9]

Name Type Area (ha) State Level Created
Abrolhos Marine National park 87,942.03 Bahia Federal 1983
Alto Cariri National park 19,238.02 Bahia Federal 2010
Aricanga Waldemar Devens Municipal nature park 515.68 Espírito Santo Municipal 1997
Augusto Ruschi Biological reserve 3,562.28 Espírito Santo Federal 1982
Bicanga Municipal nature park 88.69 Espírito Santo Municipal 2007
Boa Esperança Municipal nature park 437.00 Bahia Municipal 2001
Boa Nova National park 12,065.31 Bahia Federal 2010
Boa Nova Wildlife refuge 15,023.86 Bahia Federal 2010
Cachoeira da Fumaça State park 162.00 Espírito Santo State 1984
Caparaó National park 31,762.93 Espírito Santo / Minas Gerais Federal 1961
Comboios Biological reserve 784.63 Espírito Santo Federal 1984
Coroa Alta Municipal nature park Bahia Municipal 1998
Córrego Grande Biological reserve 1,503.75 Espírito Santo Federal 1989
Córrego do Veado Biological reserve 2,357.73 Espírito Santo Federal 1982
David Victor Farina Municipal nature park 44.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 1995
Descobrimento National park 22,693.97 Bahia Federal 1999
Dom Luiz Gonzaga Fernandes Municipal nature park 63.88 Espírito Santo Municipal 1998
Domingos Martins Municipal nature park 56.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 2010
Duas Bocas Biological reserve 2,910.00 Espírito Santo State 1965
Falésias de Marataízes Natural monument 42.14 Espírito Santo Municipal 2008
Forno Grande State park 730.00 Espírito Santo State 1998
Frade e a Freira Natural monument 861.00 Espírito Santo State 2007
Goiapaba-Açu Municipal nature park 235.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 1991
Gruta da Onça Municipal nature park 6.89 Espírito Santo Municipal 1988
Ilha do Lameirão Ecological station 891.83 Espírito Santo Municipal 1986
Ilha do Medo Ecological station 1.00 Bahia Municipal 1991
Ilhéus Municipal nature park 773.40 Bahia Municipal 2006
Itabira Natural monument 450.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 1988
Itaúnas State park 3,481.00 Espírito Santo State 1991
Jacarenema Municipal nature park 346.27 Espírito Santo Municipal 2003
Manguezal de Itanguá Municipal nature park 31.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 2007
Marinho do Recife de Fora Municipal nature park 1,750.00 Bahia Municipal 1997
Mata das Flores State park 800.00 Espírito Santo State 1992
Monte Moxuara Municipal nature park 436.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 2007
Monte Pascoal National park 22,331.91 Bahia Federal 1961
Morro da Gamela Municipal nature park 29.53 Espírito Santo Municipal 2007
Morro da Manteigueira Municipal nature park 168.30 Espírito Santo Municipal 1993
Morro da Pescaria Municipal nature park 127.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 1997
Morro do Penedo Natural monument 18.79 Espírito Santo Municipal 2007
Papagaio Ecological station 457.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 1992
Pau-Brasil National park 19,027.22 Bahia Federal 1999
Paulo César Vinha State park 1,500.00 Espírito Santo State 1990
Pedra Azul State park 1,240.00 Espírito Santo State 1991
Pedra dos Olhos Municipal nature park 27.96 Espírito Santo Municipal 2003
Pontões Capixabas Natural monument 17,443.43 Espírito Santo Federal 2003
Puris Municipal nature park 36.63 Espírito Santo Municipal 2013
Recife de Areia Municipal nature park Bahia Municipal 1999
Rio dos Frades Wildlife refuge 898.67 Bahia Federal 2007
Rota das Garças Municipal nature park 20.10 Espírito Santo Municipal 2002
Santa Cruz Wildlife refuge 17,709.39 Espírito Santo Federal 2010
São Lourenço Municipal nature park 265.91 Espírito Santo Municipal 2004
Serra das Lontras National park 11,343.69 Bahia Federal 2010
Serra das Torres Natural monument 10,458.90 Espírito Santo State 2010
Sooretama Biological reserve 27,858.68 Espírito Santo Federal 1982
Tabuazeiro Municipal nature park 5.10 Espírito Santo Municipal 1995
Una Biological reserve 18,715.06 Bahia Federal 1980
Una Wildlife refuge 23,262.09 Bahia Federal 2007
Vale do Mulembá Municipal nature park 142.10 Espírito Santo Municipal 2002
Von Schilgen Municipal nature park 7.15 Espírito Santo Municipal 2004
Wenceslau Guimarães Ecological station 2,418.00 Bahia State 1997

Sustainable use units edit

Sustainable use units in the corridor include:[9]

Name Type Area (ha) State Level Created
Baía de Iguape Extractive reserve 10,082.45 Bahia Federal 2000
Canavieiras Extractive reserve 100,726.36 Bahia Federal 2006
Cassurubá Extractive reserve 100,767.56 Bahia Federal 2009
Corredor Ecológico Lagoa Encantada-Serra do Conduru Area of relevant ecological interest 10,000.00 Bahia Municipal 2009
Concha D'Ostra Sustainable development reserve 953.00 Espírito Santo State 2003
Corumbau Extractive reserve 89,596.75 Bahia Federal 2000
Degredo Area of relevant ecological interest 2,460.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 2002
Goytacazes National forest 1,425.64 Espírito Santo Federal 2002
Laerth Paiva Gama Area of relevant ecological interest 27.57 Espírito Santo Municipal 2005
Manguezal de Cariacica Sustainable development reserve 741.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 2007
Morro da Vargem Area of relevant ecological interest 573.00 Espírito Santo State 2005
Papagaio Sustainable development reserve 1,729.70 Espírito Santo Municipal 2011
Pacotuba National forest 449.44 Espírito Santo Federal 2002
Piraque-Açú e Piraque-Mirim Sustainable development reserve 2,080.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 1986
Rio Preto National forest 2,817.40 Espírito Santo Federal 1990

Environmental protection areas edit

Environmental protection areas in the corridor include:[10]

Name Area (ha) State Level Created
Baía de Camamu 118,000.00 Bahia State 2002
Cachoeira da Pancada Grande 50.00 Bahia Municipal 1993
Caminhos Ecológicos da Boa Esperança 230,296.00 Bahia State 2003
Candengo 7,000.00 Bahia Municipal 1990
Caraíva / Trancoso 31,900.00 Bahia State 1993
Conceição da Barra 7,728.00 Espírito Santo State 1998
Coroa Vermelha 4,100.00 Bahia State 1992
Costa de Itacaré / Serra Grande 62,960.00 Bahia State 1993
Costa das Algas 114,803.00 Espírito Santo Federal 2010
Costa Dourada 3,435.00 Bahia Municipal 1999
Goiapaba – Açu 3,740.00 Espírito Santo State 1994
Guaibim 2,000.00 Bahia State 1992
Guanandy 5,242.00 Espírito Santo State 1994
Ilha do Frade 35.42 Espírito Santo Municipal 1988
Ilhas do Tinharé / Boipeba 43,300.00 Bahia State 1992
Itapebi Bahia Municipal 1999
Lago de Pedra do Cavalo 30,156.00 Bahia State 1997
Lagoa do Jacuném 1,152.88 Espírito Santo Municipal 1998
Lagoa Encantada e Rio Almada 157,745.00 Bahia State 1993
Lagoa Grande 2,725.20 Espírito Santo Municipal 2006
Lapão 4,300.00 Bahia Municipal 2001
Maciço Central 1,100.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 1992
Manguezal Sul da Serra 1,061.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 2012
Mestre Álvaro 3,470.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 1991
Monte Moxuara 2,618.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 2007
Monte Urubu 524.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 2013
Morro do Vilante 500.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 1999
Pedra do Elefante 2,562.00 Espírito Santo State 2001
Península de Maraú 21,200.00 Bahia Municipal 1997
Ponta da Baleia / Abrolhos 34,600.00 Bahia Municipal 1993
Praia Mole 400.00 Espírito Santo State 1994
Pratigi 85,686.00 Bahia State 1998
Santo Antônio 23,000.00 Bahia State 1994
Serra das Candeias 3,051.00 Bahia Municipal 1995
Setiba 12,960.00 Espírito Santo State 1998
Tartarugas Castelhanos 1,092.00 Espírito Santo Municipal 2011
Vale das Cascatas 5,880.00 Bahia Municipal 1995

Notes edit

Sources edit

  • 12 anos de trabalho pela conservação da biodiversidade nacional (PDF) (in Portuguese), Brasília: MMA: Ministério do Meio Ambiente, 2015, retrieved 2016-10-22
  • Atlantic Forest, CEPF: Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, retrieved 2016-10-22
  • Corredores Ecológicos na Mata Atlântica (in Portuguese), RBMA: Reserva da Biosfera da Mata Atlântica, retrieved 2016-10-22
  • Lamas, Ivana Reis; Crepaldi, Maria Otávia; Mesquita, Carlos Alberto Bernardo (2015), Uma Rede no Corredor (PDF) (in Portuguese), Conservação Internacional (CI-Brasil), ISBN 978-85-98830-28-5, retrieved 2016-10-22
  • Roberto Xavier de Lima (2006), O Corredor Central da Mata Atlântica (PDF), Brasilia: Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Conservação Internacional, Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica, retrieved 2016-10-22