NGO buys area of Atlantic Forest for South American ecological corridor

The NGO Onçafari, which works to conserve Brazilian biodiversity, announced, this Thursday (11), the beginning of the implementation of the initiative that aims to reconnect, through river corridors, fragmented ecosystems of the Paraná River Basin, which extends across Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay, with the purchase of the first private property in the Atlantic Forest biome.

The initiative is considered the first multinational effort aimed at connecting and restoring more than 2.5 million square kilometers of natural landscapes and water resources in the heart of South America.

The new property in the Atlantic Forest marks the beginning of Jaguar Rivers Initiative activities in this section of the corridor.

READ ALSO: South American countries want to create ecological corridor bigger than Alaska

Luxembourg strengthens forestry fund, but challenge persists | CNN NEW DAY

To make connectivity between landscapes possible, the Jaguar Rivers Initiative adopts a set of four territorial strategies: arks, buffer zones, ecological springboards and flood rivers.

Arks are natural areas that serve as main refuges for fauna and flora. Buffer zones correspond to areas located between more preserved environments and those altered by human action, intended for activities with low ecological impact.

Ecological springboards are strategic areas of natural or recovering vegetation that function as "bridges" between different habitats. The essence of the project is revealed in the rivers and floodplains, connecting forests, creating refuges and tracing routes for fauna.

The official announcement took place in Curitiba, during the National Conference on Conservation Units for Biodiversity (UCBIO 2026), together with the official launch of the Jaguar Rivers Initiative in Brazil.

*Under the supervision of Thiago Félix

Source: CNN