Highway will affect the Cantareira State Park - Brazil - RODOANEL SP

São Paulo State Government wants to build a highway passing through  the largest urban forest in the world, the São Paulo Cantareira rainforest.

We are against this highway construction because it will threaten wildlife, the  forest and contribute to global warming. It will cause environmental disasters and mud slides on mountain sides, flooding, and decay of life quality, air and water quality for the São Paulo metropolis (over 20 million inhabitants).

The Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve , is the pioneer of the Brazilian biosphere reserves. It covers important portions of the Atlantic Rainforest of 14 states, the State of Minas Gerais and 13 coastal states (from Ceará to Rio Grande do Sul), including the São Paulo City Green Belt.

 The remnants of Atlantic Forest are associated with relevant secondary forests, this forming an unique ecosystem stretching along a distance of more than 3,000 km parallel to the coast, comprising Serra  da Mantiqueira, Serra Geral and Serra do Mar. These very rare Atlantic Forest remnants and associated ecosystems such as mangroves, salt marsh scrublands as well as sand spits and upland grasslands are under pressure from the highest populated areas in the country.

 In order to respond to the special need for large-scale ecosystem conservation and management, a wide range of management, scientific and community organizations have joined together in setting up the Mata Atlántica Biosphere Reserve system. Almost all States participating already have state-level committees. The main aim is to conserve and restore ecological corridors as well as significant portions of the Atlantic Forest’s biological diversity, which is among the richest in the world. Almost 100 million people (2002) live in the urban and industrial areas of 3,000 out of the 5,507 municipalities within this Biosphere Reserve.

In 1994, the Sao Paulo City’s Green Belt Biosphere Reserve was added as  part of the Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve System, covering another 72 municipalities. In addition to promote improved protection of the forest ecosystem remnants and the biodiversity, another major objective is to develop sustainable uses and social practices.

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