Aechmea candida

The Atlantic Forest of Brazil is severely threatened by logging, urban development, agriculture (especially for cocoa and coffee production), cattle grazing, plantations and tourism. Originally, 83% of the Bahia bioregion was covered with dense forest, however, nowadays only 12% of the area remains covered by native forest (CEPF 2001). Espirito Santo forests are the most threatened, where pastures, coffee and Eucalyptus plantations have replaced most of the forest. The Serra do Mar region, extending from Rio de Janeiro to northern Rio Grande do Sul, is less devastated, with 30.5% of its area still covered by native forest (although this has declined from a very high 95%). Although these forests are near the two largest metropolitan areas in Brazil, they remain well-preserved thanks to steep slopes that are not suitable for agriculture.

The species is known from one protected area only, the Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves (World Heritage Site). It is widely cultivated in a number of botanical institutions, particularly in Germany. No seed is known to have been collected as an ex situ conservation measure.