the deforestation and deterioration of the atlantic forestpresents a significant problem for the state of rio de janeiro and for the country of brazil, which goes much further than simply the loss of wondrous landmarks and points of interest for the many visitors to the state.

the forest plays a vital role in the hydrological cycle and water quality of the rivers, as well as the mitigation of the climate, and the preservation of the rare and endemic species of the region, which displays the dire implications that the devastation of the forest has had, and may continue to have, on the biogeography of the country.

the start of the reduction of the atlantic forestcan be dated back to the arrival of the portuguese in brazil, with a number of different stages, which have contributed to its deforestation, all in the pursuit of human development, at the expense of the natural resources of the land.