TREE Foundation Research Associate Adele Rossetti participated in an artist residency at the Antonelli Foundation’s Araçá Nature Reserve in Brazil’s Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Forest) from April through May 2026. During her residency, Adele continued her ongoing Fulbright U.S. Scholar projects, creating richly detailed images of the region’s flora and fauna through innovative imaging techniques, including the use of photo scanners.

The Atlantic Forest is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, with more than 20,000 catalogued species, surpassing even the Amazon in plant diversity. Parts of the Serra do Mar region, where the Araçá project is located, have been recognized as Important Birding Areas (IBAs) and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) for birds, mammals, and amphibians. Through her artwork and research, Adele is helping bring greater awareness to these extraordinary ecosystems and the importance of their protection.

Recent works include her watercolor Açoita Cavalo (Luehea divaricata), which was recently acquired by the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation at Carnegie Mellon University, as well as her scanner artwork Epiphytes on Araucaria Trees.