Cientistas pedem prote��o para a Serra da Mantiqueira na Science

FOTO: Gerson Santos � Copyright (Vista do Marins, na Serra da Mantiqueira)

Em um carta publicada hoje na revista Science, pesquisadores fazem uma compara��o entre a Serra da Mantiqueira (um dos principais remanescentes de mata atl�ntica do Brasil, na divisa entre SP, RJ e MG) e a cordilheira Adirondack, que fica pr�xima � cidade de Nova York, chamando aten��o para a import�ncia dessas �reas e pedindo mais aten��o � cria��o de um mosaico de �reas protegidas na Mantiqueira.

Um dos autores da carta � o bi�logo brasileiro Gui Becker, que est� fazendo doutorado na Universidade Cornell. Abaixo, a �ntegra da carta, em ingl�s:

The Brazilian Adirondacks?

The name of the Serra da Mantiqueira mountains, translated from the indigenous Tup�-Guaran� language as Weeping Mountains, underscores their historical importance as a source of water for southeastern Brazil. Mantiqueira harbors outstanding sociocultural history, and its high peaks form a key wildlife corridor within the Atlantic Forest Biodiversity Hotspot (1).

The striking scenery and proximity to Rio de Janeiro and S�o Paulo (17.6 million inhabitants combined) offer an opportunity to consider new models in conservation and sustainability.
In 2006, the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment created the Mantiqueira Mosaic, a network of public and private conservation units, to enhance biological conservation and local welfare. However, the implementation of most conservation units has been delayed and many still lack a management plan.

For instance, the creation of the largest park (Parque Nacional Altos da Mantiqueira), which will cover 86,000 hectares of high peaks (2), has been stalled since 2010. Brazil�s booming economy, and the 40% predicted increase in agricultural land use in the next decade (3), will pose serious threats to the remaining ~10% of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (4).