After a long impasse, the Supreme Court abrogated the presidential decree enlarging Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, an important conservation unit (protected area Brazilian equivalent) that protects significant remnants of Cerrado in Brazil\’s central region. With the annulment of the decree, the area protected by the park was reduced from 235,000 to 60,000 hectares. The decision was based on allegations by local farmers, who own land within the park, that the enlargement procedure did not include consultations with affected stakeholders, as stipulated by the Conservation Units National System Law (Act No. 9885, of 2000).
The park has a history of boundary troubles. In 1961, when it was still named Tocantins National Park, the park contained about 600,000 hectares. In 1981, the area of the park was successively reduced down to only 60,000 ha. Then, in 2001, after a long consultation process with the entire conservation community, the park\’s decree was edited again and the park enlarged, rescuing part of the area originally protected. As a result, 235,000 hectares were protected by Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, reassuring the preservation of important areas of campos úmidos de altitude (altitude wetlands) and headwaters. Local farmers then led a movement against the park alleging that the park generates poverty and social exclusion. This movement culminated in the abrogation of the 2001 enlargement decree.
Contesting the decision of the Supreme Court, the Rede Nacional Pró Unidades de Conservação (National Network Pro-Conservation Units, www.redeprouc.org.br), comprised of 21 conservation organizations, has launched a campaign against the park\’s reduction. This campaign mobilizes public opinion through the internet, and asks concerned citizens to send messages to the Environment Minister, to the Justice and Civil House Ministers, to the General Secretary of the Presidency and to the President of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA).
Since no more legal appeals to maintain the 2001 enlargement decree are allowed, the strategy will be to begin a new enlargement process. According to IBAMA, the procedures for the necessary consultations have already begun.
The area protected by the park is characterized by an extensive complex of wetlands and headwaters through a mountainous Cerrado that bears peaks with average altitudes of 1,500 m above sea level, which form Chapada dos Veadeiros\’ \’dorsal ridge.\’ Because of the altitude, some areas contain endemic species. The park is located entirely within the Brazilian Cerrado and maintains a delicate ecological balance while facing extreme environmental vulnerability.
The Cerrado of Brazil covers about 2 million km2 (approximately 25% of the national territory) and is one of the most biologically diverse regions of the world. The Cerrado contains approximately 33% of Brazil\’s fauna, which represents about 5% of the world\’s fauna. Because of its biological importance and the high rate of the destructive processes in this biome, Cerrado is considered a hotspot to world conservation. Despite its biological richness, only 2.4% of the biome is protected by conservation units. Furthermore, only 1.7% of the biome is protected by full protection conservation units. This situation is actually worse than it seems because the Cerrado biome is the second most human-altered biome found in Brazil. Currently, about 80% of the Cerrado has been impacted by humans and a full 50% of the original Cerrado has been destroyed.
The campaign for Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, to protect important stretches of Cerrado, is available on the Rede Nacional Pró-Unidades de Conservação\’ web site: http//www.redeprouc.org.br/veadeiros_01.html (in Portuguese only).
ParksWatch – Brazil: August 31, 2003