SPVS Natural Reserves are one of the organization’s most emblematic and long-term conservation initiatives in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Located in the municipalities of Antonina and Guaraqueçaba, on the northern coast of Paraná State, the reserves are part of the Atlantic Forest Great Reserve, the largest and best-preserved continuous remnant of the Atlantic Forest biome in the world.

The history of the SPVS Natural Reserves began in 1999, when SPVS established pioneering partnerships with The Nature Conservancy and three international companies — Chevron, General Motors and American Electric Power — to implement one of the first initiatives in the world to combine biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration and climate change mitigation. These projects anticipated approaches that would later be internationally recognized under mechanisms such as REDD+, integrating forest protection, carbon benefits, community involvement and long-term territorial development.

The initiative led to the creation and management of three private natural reserves: Reserva Natural Guaricica and Reserva Natural das Águas, both located in Antonina, and Reserva Natural Papagaio-de-cara-roxa, located in Guaraqueçaba. Together, these areas protect more than 19,000 hectares of Atlantic Forest ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, estuarine areas, water sources and habitats of high importance for biodiversity conservation.

Before becoming protected areas, many parts of these lands had been heavily degraded by activities such as buffalo ranching and the cultivation of exotic species. Over more than two decades, SPVS has carried out continuous restoration, management, monitoring and protection efforts. Approximately 1,500 hectares of degraded areas have already been restored, with around 900,000 native seedlings produced and planted. Today, the reserves include Atlantic Forest areas in medium and advanced stages of conservation and represent a living example of how degraded landscapes can recover when long-term conservation management is combined with science, local knowledge and institutional commitment.

The reserves are also highly relevant for biodiversity. More than 800 species of flora, over 200 bird species and more than 50 mammal species have been recorded in the reserves and surrounding areas. The recovery of the forest has contributed to the return and increased presence of key species, including large felines such as the jaguar, an apex predator that indicates the ecological quality of the landscape. The reserves are also connected to SPVS’s broader species conservation work, including efforts to protect emblematic and threatened Atlantic Forest species such as the red-tailed amazon parrot and the black-faced lion tamarin.

In addition to biodiversity conservation, the SPVS Natural Reserves generate essential ecosystem services for local communities and municipalities. Reserva Natural das Águas protects the water sources that supply the city of Antonina, ensuring water provision and quality for the local population. The reserves also contribute to climate regulation through significant carbon storage and sequestration, with official estimates indicating carbon stocks at the million-ton scale and continued annual capture potential.

The socioeconomic benefits of the reserves are also significant. Through Paraná’s Ecological VAT mechanism, known as ICMS Ecológico, the protected areas generate financial returns for the municipalities of Antonina and Guaraqueçaba, creating an important incentive for public authorities to support protected areas and improve conservation management. In 2021 alone, the three SPVS Natural Reserves generated approximately R$ 6 million for the municipalities through ICMS Ecológico. Over time, these resources have helped demonstrate that nature conservation can produce concrete social and economic value for local territories.

Local communities have been central to the success of the initiative. Since the beginning, the reserves have relied on the knowledge and participation of local residents, whose understanding of the territory contributes to species identification, ecological monitoring, field support, relationship-building and the daily management of the areas. This combination of traditional knowledge and technical conservation practice is one of the strengths of SPVS’s model.

The reserves have also become important sites for research and learning. More than 100 scientific studies have been conducted in partnership with universities and research institutions, generating knowledge on biodiversity, restoration, carbon, wildlife, landscape management and archaeological heritage. The areas also help protect 61 archaeological sites, reinforcing their value not only as natural heritage but also as part of the cultural and historical identity of the region.

In recent years, the reserves have increasingly demonstrated their potential to connect conservation with education, tourism and innovative financial mechanisms. After around 20 years of restoration and management, Reserva Natural Guaricica was opened to controlled public visitation through the “Guaricica Experience”, allowing small groups to learn about the conservation process in the field. The reserves also generate LIFE Biodiversity Credits, positioning SPVS as a pioneer in developing mechanisms that recognize biodiversity conservation as a strategic asset for companies, institutions and society.

The SPVS Natural Reserves are therefore more than protected areas. They are a long-term model of “Nature Production”: a strategy in which conservation, restoration, climate action, water security, biodiversity protection, scientific knowledge, local employment, public revenue and territorial development are integrated into a single vision. Through this initiative, SPVS shows that conserving nature is not only an environmental responsibility, but also a pathway to generate resilience, opportunities and a sustainable future for people and territories.