Ibirapuitã Environmental Protection Area

For the State-administered biological reserve, see Ibirapuitã Biological Reserve.

Ibirapuitã Environmental Protection Area (Portuguese: Área de Proteção Ambiental do Ibirapuitã) is a protected area in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is in the Uruguayan savanna ecoregion.

Ibirapuitã Environmental Protection Area
Área de Proteção Ambiental do Ibirapuitã
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Location in Brazil
Nearest city	Alegrete, Rio Grande do Sul
Coordinates	30.356°S 55.659°W / -30.356; -55.659
Area	316,790 hectares (782,800 acres)
Designation	Environmental Protection Area
Created	20 May 1992

Location

The protected area, which covers 316,790 hectares (782,800 acres) of pampas biome, was created on 20 May 1992. It is administered by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.^[1] The area includes parts of the Alegrete, Quaraí, Rosário do Sul and Santana do Livramento municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul. It is in the upper basin of the Ibirapuitã River, a tributary of the Ibicuí River.^[2] The climate is subtropical with average annual temperature of 18.6 °C (65.5 °F).^[3]

Conservation

The area is classified as IUCN protected area category Ia, Strict Nature Reserve. The primary purposes are to conserve a significant portion of the pampas biome, protect biological diversity and control human activities to ensure sustainable use of natural resources. ^[2] Protected species include the mussels Lamproscapha ensiformis, Mycetopoda siliquosa and Mycetopoda legumen.^[1]