Decree law 3.124 of 19 March 1941 created the National Pine Institute (Instituto Nacional do Pinho), a federal agency concerned with pine trees.
Among its duties it created what would become the national forests of the south and south east of Brazil.
By ordinance 561 of 25 October 1968 these became the forest parks of the National Pine Institute, and were classed as national forests under the Forest Code of 1965.[1]
More than 20 endangered species of wildlife have been recorded in or around the forest, as well as threatened species of shrubs and trees.
Besides Atlantic Forest species there are trees of Andean and Antarctic origin such as Drimys winteri and Araucaria angustifolia.
There are two nature trails where visitors may be given scheduled tours by a guide, and five hostels for students and researchers with 50 beds in all.
The forest preserves the sources of the Sinos River basin.[2]
The forest is classed IUCN protected area category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources).
The objectives are to support multiple forms of sustainable use of forest resources and scientific research, with emphasis on sustainable exploitation of native forests.[2]
The management plan allows for annual production of 10,000 mst[a] of wood, and also for sustainable harvesting non-wood products such as pine nuts.[2]
^1 mst – metro estéreo – of wood is a stack of logs that would fit in a 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) cube. Depending on the species, it corresponds to one half to two thirds of a cubic metre of solid wood.
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