Augusto Ruschi

Augusto Ruschi Biological Reserve (Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi) — formerly known as Nova Lombardia Biological Reserve — is a 3,806-hectare strictly protected area in the municipality of Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo state, southeastern Brazil. The reserve was renamed in honor of Augusto Ruschi (1915–1986), a pioneering Brazilian naturalist, zoologist, and hummingbird specialist who dedicated his life to studying and conserving the Atlantic Forest of Espírito Santo. Situated in the mountainous Atlantic Forest zone at 850–1,150 m elevation, the reserve protects dense montane Atlantic Forest and is recognized as one of the most important sites for hummingbird diversity in the Atlantic Forest biome, with over 15 species recorded.

The reserve's montane Atlantic Forest supports exceptional biodiversity including several species of conservation concern. Hummingbirds are the flagship group, with over 15 species documented including the sombre hummingbird (Aphantochroa cirrochloris), scale-throated hermit (Phaethornis eurynome), and frilled coquette (Lophornis magnificus). Larger mammals include brown-throated three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus), southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides) — one of the world's most critically endangered primates — and puma (Puma concolor). The reserve protects a significant population of the golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) and the buffy-headed marmoset (Callithrix flaviceps). Bird diversity exceeds 300 species including Atlantic Forest endemics such as the blue-billed black tyrant (Knipolegus cyanirostris) and buff-fronted foliage-gleaner (Philydor rufus).

Augusto Ruschi protects montane ombrophilous Atlantic Forest — a highly diverse, perpetually humid forest type occurring on the elevated coastal mountain ranges (serras) of southeastern Brazil. The forest is characterized by multi-layered canopy with emergents reaching 30 meters, dense epiphyte loads including bromeliads, orchids, aroids, and mosses, and abundant tree fern (Cyathea) growth in shaded gullies. The reserve is famous for its rich orchid flora, with dozens of species including many Atlantic Forest endemics. Bromeliads including tank species of Neoregelia and Vriesea create micro-habitats critical for hummingbird foraging. The municipality of Santa Teresa is globally recognized as one of the most plant-rich localities in the Atlantic Forest, and the reserve contributes substantially to this floristic richness.

The reserve sits in the Serra do Caparaó and Serra do Espinhaço highlands of Espírito Santo, underlain by Precambrian metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Mantiqueira Province — primarily orthogneisses, granulites, and anorthosite complexes of the late Neoproterozoic Araçuaí Orogen. These ancient rocks are deeply weathered to humus-rich, well-drained soils supporting the dense forest. The elevation difference between valley floors (circa 850 m) and higher ridges (1,150 m) creates topographic moisture gradients that influence species composition. Granitic outcrops (inselbergs) appear in some areas, supporting rupestrian herbs and succulents adapted to exposed, nutrient-poor rock surfaces.

The Santa Teresa region experiences a superhumid highland climate (Köppen Cfb) with no significant dry season and high rainfall of 1,800–2,200 mm distributed year-round. Elevational position on the windward Atlantic-facing slopes maximizes orographic rainfall from trade winds. Mean annual temperatures range from 18°C to 22°C, with the elevation moderating heat compared to coastal Espírito Santo. Fog and mist frequently blanket the reserve in the early morning, maintaining high humidity levels critical for the epiphytic flora and amphibian communities. The consistently humid conditions allow year-round biological activity with no limiting dry season — a key factor in the extraordinary hummingbird richness, as flowering plants bloom throughout all months.

The Santa Teresa municipality was settled in the 1870s by Tyrolean and Italian immigrants who established small farms in the Atlantic Forest mountains. The town retains a strong European cultural heritage reflected in its architecture, cuisine, and local festivals. Augusto Ruschi himself was born in Santa Teresa in 1915 and spent his entire career studying the natural history of the region — particularly hummingbirds and bromeliads — from his farm-based research station, the Museu Mello Leitão. Ruschi's advocacy contributed to the establishment of several protected areas in Espírito Santo and raised national awareness of Atlantic Forest conservation. He was controversially poisoned by a toxic frog during his research fieldwork and died in 1986. Santa Teresa's natural heritage is also protected by the Municipal Natural Heritage Reserve.

The reserve was originally established as Nova Lombardia Biological Reserve in 1966 by the state of Espírito Santo, later transferred to federal management under IBDF (the predecessor to ICMBio). It was renamed in honor of Augusto Ruschi following his death in 1986. As a biological reserve (reserva biológica — REBIO) under Brazilian law, it is a strictly protected area permitting scientific research and environmental education but no recreational tourism or extractive use. The Mello Leitão Museum (Museu de Biologia Professor Mello Leitão) adjacent to the reserve boundary preserves Ruschi's hummingbird and orchid collections and operates as a public natural history museum. The reserve has been an important site for Atlantic Forest biodiversity research, particularly hummingbird ecology and floristics.

Being a strictly protected biological reserve, Augusto Ruschi does not allow general public access — visits require formal scientific authorization from ICMBio. The adjacent Museu Mello Leitão in Santa Teresa serves as the public-facing interface, with exhibits on Ruschi's life and work, live hummingbird feeders attracting multiple species to the museum gardens, and botanical gardens with Atlantic Forest species. Scientific researchers access the reserve for hummingbird behavioral ecology, botanical floristic surveys, and mammal monitoring. The Santa Teresa municipality itself is a popular ecotourism destination with several private natural areas offering guided birdwatching and forest walks in the surrounding Atlantic Forest landscape.

Public visitor access is restricted to the Museu Mello Leitão in Santa Teresa, which serves as the reserve's educational outreach hub. The museum has exhibits, trails, and live hummingbird observation. Scientists wishing to work in the reserve must obtain ICMBio research authorization (SISBIO). Santa Teresa is 76 km from Vitória (Espírito Santo's capital) via the ES-080 highway, accessible by car or regional bus. Vitória has an international airport with connections to São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte. Santa Teresa offers various pousadas and restaurants catering to ecotourists and the large birding community that visits the region. The municipality is considered one of the premier Atlantic Forest birdwatching destinations in southeastern Brazil.

Augusto Ruschi Biological Reserve faces significant pressure from surrounding agricultural land uses despite its federal protection. The reserve boundary is surrounded by small farms, cattle pastures, and banana plantations that fragment the forest matrix and affect the reserve's interior through edge effects. Water extraction for irrigation from streams originating in the reserve is a concern. The strict biological reserve status provides strong legal protection but limits the community engagement possible under other park categories. ICMBio manages conservation in partnership with the Mello Leitão Museum and local universities. Climate change poses a particular risk to montane Atlantic Forest hummingbird communities — upslope range shifts of flowering plants could disrupt the plant-pollinator relationships that sustain hummingbird populations. The reserve contributes to the Santa Teresa Biodiversity Corridor initiative linking protected areas across the highlands of Espírito Santo.