The forest is surrounded in part by the town of Lorena, and by areas of cattle pasturage and rice fields.

The forest is used by school students and by residents of the town as a traditional recreation area.

[4] The purpose is to promote the proper management of natural resources to ensure protection of water resources, scenic beauty and historical and archaeological sites, to encourage development of basic and applied scientific research, and to support environmental education, recreational activities, leisure and tourism.

[5] The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) created the consultative council on 30 August 2005.

[6] On 5 August 2008 IBAMA and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) launched an inquiry into irregularities in extraction of wood, sand mining, disappearance of wild animals and sale of seedlings.