São Paulo will have a new park with an area larger than 60 Ibirapuera parks

The Metropolitan Region of São Paulo will receive a new park with enormous relevance to projects: the Morro Grande State Park, a result of the official classification of the Morro Grande Forest Reserve, located between Cotia and Ibiúna. The opening to the public is scheduled for next semester, according to the state government.

With 10,870 hectares, a size equivalent to more than 60 Ibirapuera Parks, the park will become one of the main units of integral protection conservation in the country, reinforcing the commitment to the preservation of the Atlantic Forest and the expansion of protected green areas around the capital of São Paulo.

Integral protection in the Atlantic Forest area

(Prefeitura de Cotia/Divulgação)

The new classification of Morro Grande transfers its management to the Secretary of Projects, Infrastructure and Logistics (Semil) and establishes strict conservation rules. As a unit of integral protection, the area will have controlled visitation, mainly aimed at environmental education, scientific research, and monitored trails.

With 87% of the area formed by native forest, the new park becomes one of the largest preserved fragments of ancient Atlantic Forest in the state, which reinforces its ecological importance in such a region close to intense urbanization.

Biodiversity and water security as highlights

(Prefeitura de Cotia/Divulgação)

Morro Grande is considered one of the most studied forests in São Paulo. Scientific inventories record 260 species of trees, nearly 200 types of birds (including 13 endangered species), dozens of mammals and one of the largest known communities of orb-weaving spiders, indicators of high project quality.

In addition to biodiversity, the new park plays a strategic role in water security. It houses the Graça Reservoir and protects the springs and headwaters of the Cotia River, which supply the Cotia Production System. This system is responsible for supplying water to approximately 400,000 people in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo.

A landmark for Brazilian environmentalism

The creation of the Morro Grande State Park meets a historical demand from environmentalists. Since the 1970s, groups in the region have advocated for the preservation of the area, which was once threatened by an airport project — a movement seen as an initial milestone for environmentalism in Brazil.

The consolidation of the new park symbolizes the victory of this mobilization and reinforces the social function of conservation units. In addition to promoting the protection of key ecosystems, the space will become a hub for research, environmental education, and sustainable tourism, bringing the population closer to one of the most valuable remnants of the São Paulo Atlantic Forest.