Aparados da Serra National Park

Aparados da Serra National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
The Itaimbezinho canyon in the national park
Coordinates	29°11′S 50°5′W / 29.183°S 50.083°W / -29.183; -50.083Coordinates: 29°11′S 50°5′W / 29.183°S 50.083°W / -29.183; -50.083
Area	102.5 km²
Established	1959
Visitors	38,000 (in 2002[1])
Governing body	IBAMA

The Aparados da Serra National Park (Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra) is located in the Serra Geral range of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states in the south of Brazil, between 29º07’—29º15’ S and 50º01’—50º10’ W. It has been created in 1959^[2] as one of Brazil's first national parks, to protect the Itaimbezinho canyon.^[3] It extends over an area of 10,250 hectares.^[4]

Flora and fauna

Despite its relatively small size, the park is characterised by a rich biodiversity, as result of its diverse relief and of being situated at the contact between coastal forests, grasslands and Araucaria moist forests.^[4] There have been at least 143 bird, 48 mammal, and 39 amphibian species documented in the park.^[5]

Endangered fauna on the plateaus of the park include the Red-spectacled Amazon parrot, the maned wolf, and the cougar. On the slopes, the neotropical otter, ocelot and the brown howling monkey can be found.^[4]

Conservation and threats

When created in 1959, the national park protected an area of 13,000 ha. This has been reduced to 10,250 ha in 1972 through a presidential decree. In 1992 adjoining the national park, the new Serra Geral National Park has been created, encompassing an additional 17,300 ha.^[6] However, according to the Duke University's Center for Tropical Conservation, the current park area, even after the extension with Serra Geral National Park, is still too small to be effective for the protection of representative samples of each distinct environment.^[7]

One of the main obstacles for conservation efforts is that the state only has title over 67.5% of the land, and even part of that is occupied by farmers. Raising cattle, the practice of using fire to "renew" grasslands, the establishment of banana plantations with associated use of pesticides and the presence of domestic animals, all contribute to environmental degradation. Other threats are posed by invasive flora from the areas surrounding the park and poaching.^[7]

Currently a maximum of 1,500 visitors per day are allowed in the park.^[3]

See also

• Conservation in Brazil
• List of national parks of Brazil

References

External links

Media related to Aparados da Serra National Park at Wikimedia Commons

• Duke University ParksWatch: profile of Aparados da Serra NP

Protected areas of Brazil National parks Abrolhos Alto Ribeira State and Tourist Park Amazônia Aparados da Serra Araguaia Araucárias Brasília Cabo Orange Campos Gerais Caparaó Cavernas do Peruaçu Chapada das Mesas Chapada Diamantina Chapada dos Guimarães Chapada dos Veadeiros Emas Fernando de Noronha Furna Feia Grande Sertão Veredas Iguaçu Ilha Grande Itatiaia Jacupiranga Jaú Jericoacoara Jurubatiba Juruena Lençóis Maranhenses Monte Pascoal Monte Roraima Nascentes Pacaás Novos Pantanal Matogrossense Pau Brasil Pedra Azul Pico da Neblina Pontões Capixabas Lagoa do Peixe Saint-Hilaire São Joaquim Sempre Vivas Serra da Bocaina Serra da Bodoquena Serra da Canastra Serra da Capivara Serra da Cutia Serra de Itabaiana Serra da Mocidade Serra do Cipó Serra do Divisor Serra do Itajaí Serra do Pardo Serra dos Órgãos Serra Geral Sete Cidades Superagüi Terra Ronca Tijuca Tumucumaque Ubajara Vale do Catimbau Viruá Xingu Biological reserves Abufari Andradina Apiacás Atol das Rocas Augusto Banhados do Delta Canela Preta Carmo da Mata Colônia 31 de Março Comboios Córrego de Veado Córrego Grande Fazenda São Mateus Fontes do Ipiranga Guaporé Guaratiba Guaribas Gurupi Ibirapuitã Ilha do Cabo Frio Jaíba Jaru Lago Piratuba Lami José Lutzenberger Lapinha Maracá Marinha do Arvoredo Mata do Acauã Mata do Jambreiro Mata dos Ausentes Mata Paludosa Mogi-Guaçu Pedra Talhada Perobas Pindorama Poço das Antas Praia do Sul Biological Reserve Professor José Ângelo Rizzo Rio Trombetas Saltinho Santa Isabel Santa Rita São Camilo São Donato São Sebastião do Paraíso Serra Negra Sooretama Tamboré Tapirapé Tinguá Uatumã Una Vila Facchini Ecological reserves Alcobaça Ilha dos Lobos Juami-Japurá Jutaí-Solimões Raso RECOR Sauim-Castanheiras Ecological stations Anavilhanas Aracuri Caracaraí Carijós Guaraqueçaba Iquê Jari Juami-Japurá Maracá Maracá-Jipioca Niquiá Pirapitinga Rio Acre Seridó Serra das Araras Taiamã Taim Tamoios Tupinambás Tupiniquins Uruçui-Una Environmental protection areas Anhatomirim Bacia do Rio Descoberto Bacia do Rio São Bartolomeu Barra do Rio Cairuçu Cananéia-Iguape Carste Cavernas do Peruaçu Fernando de Noronha Guaraqueçaba Ibirapuitã Igarapé Gelado Jericoacoara Morro da Pedreira Petrópolis Piaçabuçu Quapi-Mirim Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago Serra da Mantiqueira Serra de Tabatinga