Área de Relevante Interesse Ecológico Floresta da Cicuta, Volta Redonda

The Area of Relevant Ecological Interest Cicuta Forest is located in the southern region of the state of Rio de Janeiro. The predominant biome is the Atlantic Rainforest.

The Cicuta Forest region has a historical relationship of interaction with the local society. It has Atlantic Forest vegetation and has its name due to a very common species of flora in the region, the Lymnobium laevigatum, mistakenly called "hemlock" by the local inhabitants. The Cicuta Forest is an environmental heritage of Volta Redonda not only in terms of its diversity, but also because of its intangible character for all citizens. "It is the green lung of the city in the midst of so much pollution, and is a historic area of interaction and leisure for the residents", emphasize the prosecutors.

The ARIE was created in 1985, by Decree 90,792, with the goal of protecting the species Phrynopps hogei, scientific name given to the "Hogei terrapin", an endangered animal endemic to the Paraíba do Sul River basin. Soon afterwards, the Municipal Law of Volta Redonda nº 2016/1985 was approved, which created the "Nature Genetic Preservation Bank of Volta Redonda", destined to perpetuate and promote the reforestation of the municipality with natural species of the region.

The Cicuta Forest plays an important role in protecting the Brandão and Cachoeirinha creeks, since the marginal vegetation acts as a natural filter for the waters of these bodies of water, and the Brandão is one of the main tributaries of the Paraíba do Sul River in the area, and one of the rivers that have been suffering severely from the effects of the water crisis. The protection of the forest involves the whole society, and universities such as UFRJ, UERJ, and USP carry out scientific research in the region. In addition, several environmental education projects are developed by the local management of ICMBio.