The Baía de Camamu Environmental Protection Area ( pt, Área de Proteção Ambiental da Baía de Camamu) is an
environmental protection area in the state of
Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro) and the 5th-largest ...
, Brazil. It tries to preserve the natural vegetation of mangroves, ''
restinga
Restingas () are a distinct type of coastal tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest in eastern Brazil. They form on sandy, acidic, and nutrient-poor soils, and are characterized by medium-sized trees and shrubs adapted to the drier and nut ...
'' and
Atlantic Forest
The Atlantic Forest ( pt, Mata Atlântica) is a South American forest that extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the northeast to Rio Grande do Sul state in the south and inland as far as Paraguay and t ...
around the Camamu Bay (Baía de Camamu).
Location
The Baía de Camamu Environmental Protection Area (APA) is divided between the municipalities of
Camamu (33.28%),
Igrapiúna (2.52%),
Itacaré
Itacaré is a municipality in the cocoa zone of the state of Bahia in Brazil, south of Salvador.
Location
Itacaré is located 70 km north of Ilhéus where the Rio de Contas, which comes from the Chapada Diamantina, meets the Atlantic Ocean. ...
(14.88%) and
Maraú
Maraú is a municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.
. The municipality is located in a peninsula called "Península de Maraú", physiographic area called "Região Cacaueira" (cocoa region). The city is rich in mi ...
(49.32%) in Bahia.
It covers an area of including land, water, islands and reefs.
Settlements include the seaside village of Barra Grande on the Ponta do Mutá and the city of Camamu within the bay.
The APA adjoins the Itacaré / Serra Grande Environmental Protection Area to the south and the
to the north.
Environment
Camamu Bay (Baía de Camamu) is about in the Palm Coast (Costa do Dendê) region.
It is the third largest bay in Brazil, and is known for its scenic beauty and ecological importance.
The APA contains islands, the long Cassange lagoon, the Tremembé waterfalls and the Saquaíra and Algodões beaches.
Vegetation includes ''
restinga
Restingas () are a distinct type of coastal tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest in eastern Brazil. They form on sandy, acidic, and nutrient-poor soils, and are characterized by medium-sized trees and shrubs adapted to the drier and nut ...
'', extensive
mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in several ...
s and remnants of
Atlantic Forest
The Atlantic Forest ( pt, Mata Atlântica) is a South American forest that extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the northeast to Rio Grande do Sul state in the south and inland as far as Paraguay and t ...
in an advanced state of regeneration
Threats include destruction of the mangroves, drainage of wetlands to build condominiums, illegal occupation of permanently preserved areas and replacement of the native vegetation by coconut monocultures.
History
The Baía de Camamu Environmental Protection Area was created by state governor decree 8.175 of 27 February 2002.
The purpose is to preserve the mangroves, ensure the genetic diversity of native flora and fauna, protect fresh, brackish and salt water, regulate land use and occupation, promote development of sustainable socio-economic activities, combat overfishing and protect the remaining rain forest.
The APA became part of the
Central Atlantic Forest Ecological Corridor
The Central Atlantic Forest Ecological Corridor ( pt, Corredor Central da Mata Atlântica is an ecological corridor in the states of Espírito Santo and Bahia, Brazil. It promotes improvements to connectivity between fragments of Atlantic Forest i ...
, created later in 2002.
Notes
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baia de Camamu Environmental Protection Area
Environmental protection areas of Brazil
Protected areas of Bahia
2002 establishments in Brazil