Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve, Biosphere reserve along Brazil's Atlantic coast.

The Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve is a protected area along Brazil's Atlantic coast that covers forest, coastal strips, and freshwater zones across several states. It is divided into core zones with strict protection, buffer zones, and inhabited transition areas where limited human activity is permitted.

The reserve was defined in 1991, initially covering parts of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Paraná, after São Paulo listed the Serra do Mar as heritage in 1985 and Paraná followed in 1986. A 1985 landslide on Serra do Mar slopes, caused by deforestation linked to pollution from Cubatão, helped trigger its creation, and Brazil's 1988 constitution declared the Atlantic Forest national patrimony. UNESCO recognized it under the Man and the Biosphere Programme in 1993, and it was expanded in phases to 15 states by 2008.

The reserve's buffer zones are home to a few thousand people, mainly traditional communities of indigenous peoples, quilombolas and fishermen. Its national council, seated at the Forest Institute of São Paulo, includes residents alongside scientists, NGOs and government representatives, so these communities take part in managing the reserve.

The reserve has no single entrance and is made up of many protected parks and areas scattered along Brazil's Atlantic coast, each with its own access conditions. It is worth checking in advance which section you plan to visit, since facilities and trail availability vary widely from one area to another.

Despite being one of the most reduced forests on the planet, the Atlantic Forest still harbors a surprisingly high number of plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth. This makes it one of the most studied forest areas in the world among biologists.