The Secretariat of the UN’s Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) is continuing its long-standing support of a biodiversity initiative in Paraná, Brazil, ensuring hundreds of hectares of Atlantic Rainforest are restored and protected.

The Atlantic Rainforest is one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth. According to WWF, the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest is not only one of the most biologically important ecosystems in the world, it is also one of the most endangered.

It houses an impressive variety of species - some 450 different trees can be found in only one hectare for example - and hosts animals and plants found nowhere else.

The CBD Secretariat has been working with the State of Parana Government and it’s Environment Institute since 2008 when the State's capital Curitiba hosted the 8th Conference of its Parties.

The partnership means additional public areas are set aside and landowners in buffer zones close to the Iguacu Falls protected area sign contracts for at least 30 years to set aside specific areas to restore its original Atlantic Rainforest cover.

As a result of the initiative, approximately 500 hectares are being restored corresponding to one hectare of rainforest for each of the 120 staff in the Secretariat every two years.

Mr Marcio Nunes, Secretary for Sustainable Development, Curitiba, Parana State, said:

"Parana State is the proud steward of the largest remaining area of Atlantic Rainforest, our most threatened and biodiverse ecosystem in Brazil. This cooperation with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the support of the UN , are critical for our State to continue our leadership in reforestation, and to protect biodiversity”.

Oliver Hillel, Programme Officer Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, explains:

“This initiative provides a direct connection between the staff at CBD and the restoration of biodiversity at the subnational level in one of the most beautiful and vulnerable areas of Brazil.”

He continued: “Whilst the focus of all CBD’s work is to protect biodiversity, this initiative showcases an important component of our organizational environmental management, in line with our mandate, and opens doors to go above and beyond what carbon offsetting alone can achieve.”

CBD is also supporting their partners in achieving Gold Standard CER accreditation, so that they can receive additional investment via offsetting initiatives.