Serra do Mar

The Serra do Mar is a big mountain range. It is in Brazil. These mountains sit near the sea.

They run along the coast. Some mountains are even on islands.

A long time ago, many trees grew here. This was a lush rain forest.

Most of the forest is gone now. People built cities near the mountains. This caused the trees to disappear.

Now, some parks protect the green woods. These parks help keep the plants safe. It is a very special place.

The Serra do Mar is a chain of mountains in Brazil.

These mountains run along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. They stretch from the state of Espírito Santo down to Santa Catarina. The mountains form a steep wall. This wall sits between the sea and the high land inside the country. Some of the mountains even reach out to large islands near the coast.

These mountains are very old. Most of them formed about 60 million years ago. They are made of hard rock.

This rock can hold pretty gems like amethyst.

A long time ago, the mountains were covered in thick rain forest. This is called the Atlantic Forest.

Many different plants and animals lived there. Today, much of the forest is gone. People built big cities nearby. They also cut down many trees. Now, most of the forest stays on the steep cliffs. Many parks work hard to protect the land and the plants that are left.

The Serra do Mar is a huge system of mountains in Brazil.

These mountains run along the Atlantic Ocean coast. They stretch from the state of Espírito Santo down to Santa Catarina. Some books say the range goes even further south. This range is part of a much larger feature. It is part of the Great Escarpment. This Great Escarpment runs down the eastern coast of Brazil. It starts way up near the city of Salvador in Bahia. The mountains form a steep wall. This wall sits between the sea and the high land inside the country.

These mountains are not just one single line. They are broken up in many places. This means there are gaps between different parts of the range. Because of this, many parts have their own names. You might hear of the Serra de Bocaina or Serra Negra. Other names include Serra de Paranapiacaba and Serra dos Órgãos. The range even reaches out to some large islands. These islands include Ilhabela and Ilha Anchieta. The mountains are made of very hard rock. This rock is part of a stable platform in South America.

The history of these mountains goes back a very long time. Most of these high places formed about 60 million years ago. They are part of a massive crystalline rock platform. This platform makes up much of Eastern South America. The land is very stable there. One of the highest points is called Pico da Caledônia. It is located in Nova Friburgo. The mountains have stayed mostly the same for a long time. This makes them a very important part of the Earth's shape.

In the year 1500, Europeans discovered Brazil. At that time, the mountains were covered in thick green trees. This lush tropical rain forest is called the Atlantic Forest.

It is also called the Mata Atlântica. This forest was full of many different kinds of life. Today, much of this forest has been lost. People have built large cities nearby. These cities include São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Other big cities include Curitiba and Vale do Itajaí. Most of the forest that is left is on the steep cliffs facing the sea.

Protecting the forest is a very hard job today. Many people use the land for farms or cities. This is called encroachment. Other problems include forest fires and pollution. Some people also cut down trees without permission. This is called clandestine logging. There is also the problem of acid rain. To help, many special areas have been made. These include national parks and biological reserves. These places try to save the plants and animals. It is very hard to grow the forest back once it is gone.

The Serra do Mar is a vast system of mountain ranges and escarpments. It is located in Southeastern Brazil. This geological feature runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean coast. The range stretches from the state of Espírito Santo to southern Santa Catarina. Some scientific literature suggests it includes the Serra Geral. In that case, the range would extend to northeastern Rio Grande do Sul.

The main escarpment acts as a massive physical boundary. It separates the sea-level littoral from the inland plateau, known as the planalto. The planalto has a mean altitude of 500 meters. This escarpment is a component of the Great Escarpment. This much larger feature runs along much of the eastern coast of Brazil. It begins far to the north near the city of Salvador, Bahia.

The mountain ranges are not a single, continuous line. They are discontinuous in several different places. Because of this, many sections have their own specific names. These include the Serra de Bocaina and the Serra de Paranapiacaba. Other named sections are Serra Negra, Serra dos Órgãos, and Serra do Indaiá. The range also extends to large islands near the coast. These islands include Ilhabela and Ilha Anchieta.

Geologically, the range is part of a massive crystalline rock platform. This platform forms much of Eastern South America. Tectonically, the region is considered very stable. Most of the elevations in the Serra do Mar formed about 60 million years ago. One of the highest points is Pico da Caledônia. It is located in Nova Friburgo. The area is also known for mineral beauty, such as amethyst.

In the year 1500, during the European discovery of Brazil, the area was very different. The mountains supported a highly diversified ecosystem. This ecosystem was composed mainly of a lush tropical rain forest. This forest is called the Atlantic Forest, or Mata Atlântica.

It was once a massive, continuous cover of greenery. However, urbanization and deforestation have changed the landscape significantly.

Much of the original forest cover has been destroyed over time. What little forest remains is found almost exclusively on steep escarpments. These are the cliffs that face the sea. Large metropolises are located near the Serra do Mar. These cities include Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Other nearby large cities include Curitiba and Vale do Itajaí. The proximity of these urban areas puts pressure on the natural environment.

Protecting the Mata Atlântica is a major challenge. A chain of national and state parks exists to help. There are also ecological stations and biological reserves. These areas aim to protect the biological heritage of the forest. However, the forest faces many active threats. These include acid rain and pollution. Poachers and clandestine loggers also cause damage. Forest fires and encroachment by farms and cities are constant issues.

Reforestation is notoriously difficult in these destroyed habitats.