From Vision to reality, Implementing a Tri-National Atlantic Forest Biodiversity Corridor

DIETZ, L. A.; AQUINO, A. L.; DI BITETTI, M. S.; PLACCI, G.; MALTEZ, M. H.

Canterbury

Encuentro; XVI Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology; 2002

Society for Coservation Biology

The Atlantic Forest Global 200 Ecoregion Complex (15 ecoregions) of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay is among the most endangered tropical rainforest in the world, with just 7.4 percent of its original 1,713,535 square kilometers of forest cover intact. In spite of its highly fragmented condition, the Atlantic Forest remains one of Earth´s most biologically diverse ecosystems. As the first part of Brazil to be colonized, the Atlantic Forest has developed into the country´s population hub. The resulting habitat destruction, coupled with the high endemism, make conservation action particularly urgent. In contrast, the isolation from human population centers of the Argentine and Paraguayan portions of the Atlantic Forest has allowed the preservation of the largest piece of Atlantic Forest in Misiones in Argentina and eastern Paraguay. During the last three years, we have coordinated a process involving more than 40 stakeholder organizations to develop a long term vision and mobilize strategic actions for the conservation of biodiversity of the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest ecoregion, which extends across the borders of the three countries. We report on lessons learned and challenges encountered in implementing trans-border multi-scale strategic actions to conserve biodiversity and ecological processes.