The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...
- WWF Global
- Adria
- Argentina
- Armenia
- AsiaPacific
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Borneo
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Caucasus
- Central African Republic
- Central America
- Central Asia
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- European Policy Office
- Finland
The Atlantic Forest is one of the richest and most emblematic biomes on the planet. Originally, it covered about 142 million hectares along Brazil’s coast and parts of Argentina and Paraguay. Today, less than a third of that area remains, and only 12.4% is in good ecological condition. Even so, it is considered one of the world’s greatest biodiversity hotspots, home to more than 20,000 plant species—half of them endemic—and 5% of all known vertebrates.
In Brazil, the forest stretches across 17 states and is home to 154 million people, about 72% of the national population. Essential for quality of life, it provides fresh water, regulates the climate, protects the springs that feed major river basins, and supports agriculture, energy generation, and the economy: around 70% of Brazil’s GDP lies within its territory. It is also the cultural heart of the country, connecting cities, forests, and traditional communities such as Indigenous peoples, quilombolas, caiçaras, riverside dwellers, and family farmers.
Beyond its ecological and economic importance, the Atlantic Forest is a space for leisure, ecotourism, and inspiration, welcoming millions of visitors to its protected areas. In the face of the climate and biodiversity crises, conserving and restoring this biome is not merely an environmental priority—it is an essential condition for the future of Brazil and the world.
We work to restore, conserve, and value the Atlantic Forest across three main fronts: strengthening protected areas, protecting fauna and flora, and restoring ecosystems.
The Atlantic Forest’s Conservation Units are vital for preserving biodiversity, protecting springs, and addressing the effects of climate change. Our work spans from creation to management and appreciation of these areas, always through dialogue and respect for Indigenous peoples, quilombola communities, and family farmers:
- Social value and benefits – We promote protected areas as spaces for sustainable tourism, health, and contact with nature, strengthening social connection and public engagement.
- Effective management and territorial consolidation – We support improved management in priority areas such as Southern Bahia and Alto Paraná, enhancing their contribution to large-scale conservation within the Atlantic Forest biome.
- Climate adaptation – We support the implementation of nature-based solutions that increase the resilience of protected areas and neighboring communities, especially in Southern Bahia and Alto Paraná.
- Sustainable financial mechanisms – We aim to structure and expand long-term financing sources that ensure the consolidation and growth of protected areas.
Through this integrated approach, we transform protected areas into drivers of conservation and sustainable development, generating lasting positive impacts for both nature and society.
Forest fragmentation, deforestation, and the loss of critical habitats threaten iconic Atlantic Forest species such as the jaguar, the muriqui, and the pau-brasil tree. Our work seeks to reverse population decline, ensure habitat connectivity, and turn biodiversity conservation into a driver of sustainable development:
- Policies and enabling conditions – We support the creation and implementation of national and state species conservation plans (PANs, PAEs) and biodiversity public policies (EPANBs, EPAEBs), ensuring that legal commitments translate into effective action. We collaborate with subnational governments to integrate wildlife conservation into territorial planning, with a special focus on protecting jaguars and other priority species.
- Human-wildlife coexistence, science, and connectivity – We develop measures to mitigate conflicts between communities and large mammals in strategic landscapes such as Alto Paraná and Serra do Mar, engaging local communities, governments, and production sectors.
- Ecological corridors and monitoring – We promote ecological corridors that connect fragmented ecosystems and invest in scientific monitoring of mammals and birds, in partnership with ICMBio, universities, and research centers, guiding evidence-based decision-making.
Our goal is to ensure that jaguar populations are stabilized or growing, that functional corridors connect priority landscapes, and that communities are engaged in coexistence initiatives supported by permanent financial instruments.
Landscape restoration is central to the future of the Atlantic Forest and is aligned with Brazil’s national target of 12 million hectares of native vegetation by 2030 (PLANAVEG). We aim to implement at least 1.5 million hectares of high-quality restoration in the biome, using jurisdictional and multisectoral models across strategic territories.
In recent years, we have already supported the recovery of thousands of hectares in priority landscapes such as Espírito Santo, the Doce River Basin, Serra do Mar, Mantiqueira, and Alto Paraná, focusing on three main pillars:
- Advocacy – We strengthen coalitions such as the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact, the Trinational Network and Alliance, and the subnational implementation of PLANAVEG.
- Green finance – We design large-scale investment plans, payment for ecosystem services (PES) mechanisms, and carbon, water, and biodiversity credits, as well as regenerative value chains that create replicable models.
- Territorial impact – Together with local partners, we support on-the-ground restoration, strengthen the restoration production chain (seeds, nurseries, technical assistance), replicate models, and apply social and environmental safeguards.
Thus, restoration goes beyond the number of hectares: it becomes a model of nature-based solutions that foster social inclusion, conserve biodiversity, and strengthen climate resilience. Our overarching goal is to position the Atlantic Forest and Brazil as global leaders in restoration and inclusive climate solutions, connecting innovative finance, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable territorial development.