Vale do Ribeira

World Heritage Site

Although located in one of the most urbanized states of the country (not to mention the world) - São Paulo and Paraná – the Vale do Ribeira stands out for its high degree of preservation of forests and its great ecological diversity. The 2.1 million hectares (5.2 million acres) of preserved forests in the region are the equivalent of 21% of all remaining Atlantic rainforest in Brazil (which today stands at between just 7 to 8% of the original area covered), making it the largest continuous area of this important ecosystem in the country. These preserved areas contain more than stunning Atlantic rainforest, but also other important biomes like forests characterized by the sandy soil it covers, around 150,000 hectares or 370,500 acres in the Vale, and about 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) of mangrove swamp.

The Ribeira River: Wigold Schaffer

The biodiversity of the area is stunning. One hectare of the rainforest (2.47 acres) has been shown to contain more than 450 different species of trees (for context the continental United States has around 1,000 total). In the entirety of the protected area over 950 avian, 300 reptilian, 260 mammalian, 450 amphibian, 350 aquatic, and a stunning 20,000 plant species have been documented. Between 15% (birds) and 60% (amphibians) of these species are endemic to the area.

The Iguape-Cananéia-Paranaguá Estuarine Complex, in the coastal zone of the vale: José Gabriel Lindoso

For more information on the diversity of the Atlantic forests, threats to their survival, and action being taken by NGOs and conservation organizations, please follow the links below:

(http://www.eoearth.org/article/Biological_diversity_in_the_Atlantic_Fore...)

(http://www.nature.org/wherewework/southamerica/brazil/work/art5080.html)

(http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0906-atlantic_forest.html)

(http://www.cepf.net/xp/cepf/where_we_work/atlantic_forest/full_strategy....)

Just to give an idea of the success of the Vale do Ribeira region in preventing widespread deforestation, 78% percent of the area and its coastal zones are still covered by primary forests. In spite of the past devastation of the Atlantic forests in Brazil, what remains is home to an important profile of the forest’s original biodiversity. More than half of the territory in the Vale do Ribeira is legally, if not practically, protected through a mosaic of conservation zones composed of both waterways and forests, with ecological research stations, state parks, and so-called Permanent Protection Areas serving as the main actors to prevent damage to the biomes. The largest parks are the Alto Ribeira State Park, Ilha do Cardoso State Park, Jacupiranga State Park, and the Juréia-Itatins Ecologic Station.

Waterfall in the Alto Ribeira State Park (Petar): José Gabriel Lindoso/ISA

In 1999 the Southeast Atlantic Forest Reserve, including 17 communities in the Vale do Ribeira, became one of the 6 areas in Brazil that are currently considered by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) as a World Heritage Historical and Environmental Site (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/893). In 24 of the conservation areas in the area many exotic species were found by a number of scientific studies including ceder, heart of palm, cinnamon, and araucaria, in addition to a wide variety of bromeliads and orchids. Some of the more charismatic mega-fauna that are found in the areas are: the spotted leopard, ocelots, wild deer, the black-fronted piping guan, the red-faced parrot, and the golden-lion tamarin.

Caves and Pre-Historic Ruins

The Vale do Ribeira is home to one of the most extensive networks of caves in Brazil, including 273 caverns officially recorded by the Brazilian Spelunking Society, as well as many more that have yet to be discovered and explored. The large majority of tourism that the communities receive is due to the caves, creating an important source of income for the residents. Some of these communities are also home to remains of pre-Columbian inhabitants of the regions, amongst them 75 remnants of stone buildings, 82 sites of ceramics production, 12 archeological sites, 12 cave shelters, and 3 indigenous cemeteries. Archeological investigations indicate that the remains date back to as far as 12,000 years from present.

One of the caverns in the vale, in the municipal district of Iporanga: José Gabriel Lindoso/ISA

Water Resources

Many of the rivers that supply São Paulo and Curitiba, benefitting millions of people in these cities as well as in rural communities, originate in the Atlantic forests. Right now these rivers are under threat from a variety of factors, one of the largest amongst them being siltation caused by deforestation and subsequent soil erosion, especially in the most important buffer areas of forest which are found within 50 meters of the shore of the river.

In Cananéia, on the coast of the Vale do Ribeira, dolphins enchant visitors: José Gabriel Lindoso/ISA

Technical Information of the Region

Location: Between the southern regions of the state of São Paulo and the northern region of Paraná, including the Ribeira de Iguape River Watershed and the Iguape-
Cananéia-Paranaguá Estuarine Complex.

Population: 481,224 inhabitants

Number of Communities: 31 (9 in Paraná and 22 in São Paulo). There are another 21 communities in Paraná and 18 in São Paulo that are partially located in the Ribeira Watershed.

Percentage of Population Classified as Rural: 37.85% of total population

Primary Economic Activities: Banana and black tea production, cattle grazing, and fishing.