Misiones Rainforest Corridor, Argentina
The Atlantic Forest is suffering from relentless habitat destruction as huge areas with massive trees are logged for timber and to make way for monoculture plantations, cattle pastures and urban developments. Find out how the WLT is helping protect a large area of rainforest as a wildlife corridor....
Project aim
Just 1% of the original Atlantic Forest survives in Argentina. This project will protect one of the last strongholds of sub-tropical rainforest, in Misiones Province by creating a wildlife corridor to connect two existing protected areas.
Partner:
Fundación Frontera Verde (FFV) »
Other projects in Argentina:
How the World Land Trust is helping
The first stage of this project is to purchase and protect 9,795 acres (3,964 hectares) of tropical broad-leaf forest within the Yabotí Biosphere Reserve. This reserve, which consists largely of privately owned land, links to Moconá Provincial Park situated by the River Uruguay opposite Moconá Falls and Parque do Turbo in Brazil.
Urgent funding needed
The WLT is currently seeking funds to begin the first land purchase in the Misiones region. If you would like to support this project:
- Donate to the WLT Action Fund »
- State "Misiones Rainforest Corridor" in the comments box and your donation will be earmarked for this project.
Biodiversity
Mammals:
116 species including; the Endangered Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis); Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla); Jaguar (Panthera onca); Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus); Tiger Cat (Leopardus tigrinus);
Birds:
548 species including; the Critically Endangered Brazilian Merganser (Mergus octosetaceus), the Endangered Black-fronted Piping Guan (Pipile jacutinga) and the Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja).
There are also 124 species of amphibian and 222 fish species.
Threats to the Yabotí Biosphere Reserve
Protecting the Atlantic Rainforest in the Yabotí Biosphere Reserve is a high priority as although it is called a reserve much of the land within it is privately owned. There is a high concentration of endemic species and severe habitat destruction is taking place in this region. Atlantic Forest habitat is being destroyed due to:
- Exploitation for products such as timber and sugar cane
- Forest clearance for coffee and soya plantation, cattle pastures, settlements, roads and the growth of cities
The Interior Atlantic Forest in Misiones originally covered about 25,700km2 (6,350,470 acres or 2,570,000 ha), but estimates suggest this has been reduced to about 16,000km2.
The reserve
Moconá Corridor
Two priority areas have been identified which although protected are isolated from one another. The Moconá Corridor will eventually join these to areas creating a continuous protected area of over 100,000 acres (42,000 ha).
Processes are still being put in place for the first land purchase but will will post any project developments on the WLT website.
Argentina News
Learn more
Misiones Photos
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Sir David Attenborough, WLT Patron
