The Espinhaço: Alto Jequitinhonha – Serra do Cabral Mosaic (), or simply Espinhaço Mosaic, is a protected area mosaic in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Background
The Espinhaço Mountains extend for about from the iron quadrilateral in the south-central region of Minas Gerais north to the Chapada Diamantina in Bahia. The mountains lie between the cerrado biome to the west, Atlantic Forest to the east and caatinga to the north. In the higher regions there are rocky fields, an ecosystem with considerable biodiversity. In 2005 UNESCO recognized a large portion of the Espinhaço Chain in Minas Gerais as a Biosphere Reserve.
Discussions followed on how to better conserve the ecosystems, and the first proposals for a Mosaic of Units of Conservation of the Espinhaço: Alto Jequitinhonha - Serra do Cabral were made at the end of 2007. Official activities began in April 2008, coordinated by the Biotropics Institute, a scientific and conservationist NGO, in partnership with the Minas Gerais State Forest Institute (IEF) and with the support of Conservation International Brasil and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).
The relevant area was defined as of the upper portion of the Jequitinhonha and Serra do Cabral valley, including conservation units and their buffer zones. It included seven fully protected units and five environmental protection areas in 14 municipalities: Itamarandiba, Senador Modestino Gonçalves, São Gonçalo do Rio Preto, Felício dos Santos, Rio Vermelho, Couto de Magalhães de Minas, Santo Antônio do Itambé, Serra Azul de Minas, Serro, Diamantina, Buenópolis, Joaquim Felício, Bocaiúva and Olhos-d'Água.
Organization
The Espinhaço Mosaic in the state of Minas Gerais was recognized by ordinance 444 of 26 November 2010, which also created the managing council. The council includes representatives of public bodies and civil society organizations. It is administered by the ICMBio. As an integrated management tool for a set of conservation units that overlap or are near each other, the mosaic expands conservation actions beyond the scope of the individual units.
Component units
The mosaic was created with the following conservation units:
Unit Level Created Area (ha) Água das Vertentes Environmental Protection Area State 1998 76,310 Biribiri State Park State 1998 16,999 Felício Environmental Protection Area Municipal 11,476 Mata dos Ausentes Ecological Station State 1974 498 Pico do Itambé State Park State 1998 4,696 Rio Manso Environmental Protection Area Municipal 1998 7,331 Rio Preto State Park State 1994 10,750 Sempre Vivas National Park Federal 2002 124,154 Serra Negra State Park State 1998 13,654 Serra do Cabral State Park State 2005 22,494
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