In October 1994, UNESCO declared it part of the São Paulo City Green Belt Biosphere Reserve.

[6] It protects an area of the Serra da Cantareira that provides an important part of the city's water supply.

It is used extensively for research, and is considered by BirdLife International as an important area for bird conservation in Brazil.

[7] The park is mostly covered in dense montane rainforest in various stages of regeneration that started at the end of the 19th century when the land was acquired for the water supply of the city of São Paulo.

[7] Studies as early as 1852 indicated that springs in the mountains to the north of São Paulo could be used to avoid any problems with water supply for the city.

The governor of the state cancelled the Cantareira Company's contract, bought its properties in the mountains and expanded the protected area to support construction of a series of dams: Cuca, Olaria, Itagussu, Divisa, Manino, Bispo, Guaraú, Cassununga and Engordador.

UNESCO recognized the park on 9 June 1994 as the nucleus of the Biosphere Reserve of the Green Belt of the City of São Paulo.