Araucarias
The southern pine.
Daniel de Quadros dos Santos — CC BY-SA 4.0 · NairaRegisdeMoura — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Piterkeo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Éliocentrismo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · NairaRegisdeMoura — CC BY-SA 4.0 · NairaRegisdeMoura — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Daniel de Quadros dos Santos — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Daniel de Quadros dos Santos — CC BY-SA 4.0
São Francisco de Paula National Forest is a reserve on the Serra Gaúcha plateau of Rio Grande do Sul, a short way from Gramado and Canela. It covers about 1,615 hectares at 630 to 922 metres, with a cool climate averaging fifteen degrees and heavy rainfall. It goes back to the National Pine Institute founded in 1941, which planted parts of it with introduced trees, and it was later classed as a national forest. Half of it today is native Atlantic Forest, with the Araucaria pines typical of southern Brazil and trees of Andean and sub-Antarctic origin. More than twenty endangered animal species have been recorded in and around the forest. Two nature trails can be walked on guided tours booked in advance, among giant Araucarias and valleys. It is a quiet stop on the way across the highland «Campos de Cima da Serra» to Cambará do Sul and its famous canyons.
The southern pine.
Guided tours.
High plateau.
São Francisco de Paula municipality, Serra Gaúcha, Rio Grande do Sul
Yes, guided tours are booked in advance.