There are 131 federal, 443 state, 14 municipal and 124 private conservation units in the Atlantic Forest area, spread over sixteen states in Brazil, with the exception of Goiás. Protected areas cover less than 2% of the biome and integral protection areas protect only 24% of the remnants. Many units consist of very small, isolated fragments and half of the threatened vertebrate species are not found in any protected area. Other related problems are the lack of infrastructure to maintain the conservation units and a series of impasses with indigenous leaders, as seen in the Ilha do Cardoso State Park, Superagüi National Park and Monte Pascoal National Park.

Among all the categories of conservation units in Brazil, Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs) are the most important for establishing new protected areas, as most of the remaining forest is still privately owned. In the Northeast, RPPNs protect important fragments with endemic and highly endangered species, especially birds. Another strategy for creating new units is the ICMS Ecológico, a tax compensation granted to municipalities and states that have officially declared protected areas.

In Argentina and Paraguay, there are important conservation units in the Alto Paraná Atlantic Forest ecoregion, which in Brazil are concentrated in the Iguaçu National Park, the Morro do Diabo State Park and the Turvo State Park. The protected areas in the Misiones Province, the Serra do Mar and southern Bahia comprise the largest continuous remnants of the Atlantic Forest. In order to maintain biodiversity and important ecological processes, it is proposed to create wildlife corridors linking the conservation units in each of these regions.

National Parks NameImageCountryDate of creationArea (ha)DescriptionAlto CaririJune 11, 201019.264Located in the south of Bahia, it preserves forest remnants of the Alto Cariri Mountain complex. It is the last place where the northern muriqui can be found in the state of Bahia.Aparados da SerraDecember 7, 196910.250Located between the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, it preserves significant portions of the Araucaria Forest and the pampas. Its relief is notable for the presence of numerous gorges and canyons.AraucáriasOctober 19, 200512.841It is one of the largest conservation units in the Araucaria Forest.CaaguazúFebruary 23, 197614.500Located in the Caaguazú Mountain Range, between the Paraguay and Paraná rivers, it is an important conservation unit of the Alto Paraná Atlantic Forest.CaparaóMay 24, 196131.853Located between the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, it covers a large part of the Caparaó Mountains and is an important conservation unit of the Serra do Mar Forests in Espírito Santo.Cerro CoraFebruary 11, 19765.538Located in the Amambay Department, it is one of the largest stretches of Atlantic Forest in northeastern Paraguay.Chapada DiamantinaSeptember 17, 1985152.000An important conservation unit due to its scenic beauty and for conserving elements of the transition between the Atlantic Forest and the Caatinga.DescobrimentoApril 20, 199922.693Along with other conservation units, it forms a combination of remnants of the Bahia Coastal Forests. A place of great biodiversity, with highly threatened species in the Atlantic Forest biome.IguaçuJanuary 10, 1939185.263The largest conservation unit in western Paraná. It includes the Iguazu Falls and has great biodiversity.IguazuOctober 9, 193467.698Located in the Misiones Province, it consists of the Argentine side of the Iguazu Falls. It is of great importance because it forms part of an ecological corridor of the Alto Paraná Forests in Argentina.Ilha GrandeSeptember 30, 1997108.166Located between the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná, it preserves extensive floodplains of the Paraná River, as well as part of the only stretch of this river that has not yet been dammed in Brazil.ItatiaiaJune 14, 193730.000Located between the states of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, it preserves ecosystems related to the Serra do Mar Forests ecoregion.Monte PascoalNovember 29, 196122.500It preserves remnants of the forests of southern Bahia. Monte Pascoal, the first elevation spotted by Pedro Álvares Cabral's squadron in 1500, is located in this park.ÑacundayAugust 20, 19752.000An important Paraguayan conservation area on the banks of the Itaipu Dam. It includes the Ñacunday Falls, which has remarkable scenic beauty.Pau BrasilApril 20, 199918.934Located in the municipality of Porto Seguro, it preserves important remnants of the forests of southern Bahia. It is one of the largest reservoirs of brazilwood and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Pontões CapixabasDecember 19, 200217.496Located in the northwestern region of Espírito Santo, it has numerous mountain ranges that attract with their scenic beauty. Trekking, climbing and scenic flights are enjoyed by tourists and mountaineers alike.Jurubatiba SandbankAugust 6, 200214.860It is the only conservation unit in Rio de Janeiro to preserve the restinga ecosystem.Saint-Hilaire/LangeMay 23, 200125.119Located on the coast of Paraná, it is named after the French naturalist Augustin Saint-Hilaire and the Brazilian biologist Roberto Ribas Lange.São JoaquimJuly 6, 196149.800Located in Santa Catarina, it protects important forest remnants in the state. It has numerous mountain ranges due to its uneven terrain.Serra da BocainaNovember 1, 1974100.000Located between the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Together with other conservation units, it forms the largest continuous stretch of Atlantic Forest in Brazil. It has a high degree of endemism and very endangered species, such as the jaguar.Serra das LontrasJune 10, 201011.336Together with the Una Biological Reserve, it forms an important complex of forest remnants in the south of Bahia. It is home to primate species endemic to the Atlantic Forest and at risk of extinction, such as the golden-bellied capuchin and the golden-headed lion tamarin.Serra do ItajaíJune 4, 200457.374One of the largest stretches of Atlantic Forest in Santa Catarina.Serra dos ÓrgãosNovember 30, 193920.024Located in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, it has great scenic beauty and attractions for mountaineering. Together with other conservation units, it is the largest stretch of Atlantic Forest in the state, with critically endangered species such as the puma and the buffy-tufted marmoset.Serra GeralMay 20, 199217.300Located in Rio Grande do Sul, it borders the Aparados da Serra National Park and forms an important complex of Atlantic Forest remnants in southern Brazil.SuperagüiApril 25, 198933.928Located on the coast of Paraná, it is one of the most important conservation units in the country, as it is the only place where the black-faced lion tamarin can be found.TijucaJuly 6, 19613.958Located in Rio de Janeiro, it is considered the third largest urban forest in the world. One of Brazil's most important tourist attractions.UbajaraApril 30, 19596.851Located in Ceará, it preserves important stretches of the Caatinga moist-forest enclaves.YbycuiMay 16, 19735.190Located in the Paraguarí Department, it preserves remnants of the Alto Paraná Forests in the Ybycuí Mountains.

Significant Integral Conservation Units There are a large number of conservation units in the Atlantic Forest domain, most of them small and isolated. This section lists protected areas that play a fundamental function as "core zones" in important ecological corridors.