Programming of the largest action to value Conservation Units in Brazil combines leisure, culture and environmental education

There are 30 days left for the biggest action to value the Conservation Units in Brazil. On July 24, protected natural areas across the country will welcome visitors to the fifth edition of Um Dia No Parque with activities in all biomes.

In the Caatinga, for example, it will be possible to go on a bike trail and observe the typical birds of the region in the Environmental Protection Area (APA) of Bica do Ipu, in the municipality of Ipu, northwest of Ceará. 

For those who want to know a transition region between biomes in Brazil, a good option is the Serra da Bodoquena National Park, in Mato Grosso do Sul. Created to protect remnants of the Atlantic Forest, the Park is directly influenced by the Cerrado and Pantanal biomes. The Department of Tourism of the Municipality of Miranda opened registration to take 30 people to the trail in the Canyon of the Salobra River.

Since 2018, Um Dia No Parque invites the general public, from children to the elderly, to visit a Conservation Unit (UC) close to home, or travel to discover more distant beauties. According to Angela Kuczach, executive director of the Pró Unidades de Conservação Network and creator of the UDNP, this is an opportunity to bring people closer to the UCs. “When a person visits a Conservation Unit and does an activity in contact with nature, that area is no longer something distant and becomes part of good memories. This is the best way to show the importance of UCs not only for conservation, but also for people’s quality of life”, says Kuczach.

With each new edition of the event, the number of registered Conservation Units grows, also increasing the curiosity of visitors. In 2021, 350 UCs were registered. WWF-Brasil, which works in environmental conservation and recovery, encourages visitation. “Brazil is a country rich in biodiversity, it has a series of parks and protected areas that many people do not know. The purpose of this day is to celebrate these areas and bring people closer to nature,” says Mariana Napolitano, Science Manager at WWF-Brazil.

For Imazon, the Um Dia No Parque campaign is an opportunity to mobilize society in favor of environmental conservation. “The public can learn about and experience the benefits that a protected area can bring to human beings, such as the provision of water, fresh air, seeds, fruits, leisure space, sports and contemplation of nature. Therefore, we strive annually to hold events and programs that involve different audiences across the country. The objective is to show the importance of protecting our biomes, with their fauna, flora and the ways of life of traditional peoples and communities that inhabit the territories. These spaces are the public heritage of the Brazilian people, so we must use and protect them”, adds Jakeline Pereira, a researcher at Imazon. 

Activities in all biomes and all regions

It has confirmed programming from the south to the north of the country. In the Amazon, in the municipality of Novo Airão, the Jaú National Park receives special visitors. In addition to paying tourists, residents of Novo Airão have the opportunity to discover, for free, a natural and cultural heritage during Um Dia No Parque.

“As it is an expensive tour, with a two-hour speedboat logistics, the Park invites 20 residents of the municipality to spend the day at the Conservation Unit”, says Josângela da Silva Jesus, environmental analyst at ICMBio in Novo Airão.

They are welcomed with snacks and lunch and get to know the main attractions, such as the petroglyphs, cave paintings on the rocks of the Jaú River, and the Sumaúma da Enseada, a point with speedboat access to see the largest kapok in the park, which is an imposing tree. In addition, they travel the Itaubal Trail, which is five kilometers long.

This activity in the Jaú National Park has existed since the first UDNP. According to Josângela, the engagement of residents with the conservation of the Park is visible. “People’s interest is very strong, many people volunteer to protect the Park, they start to defend its existence much more”, he says.

If the UDNP travels from the north to the south of the country, we can travel to the Pampa biome, in Rio Grande do Sul, and discover the Municipal Natural Park of Pedra do Segredo. Located in one of the oldest municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul, Caçapava do Sul, the park is 11 kilometers from the city center.

With an affordable price of 10 reais per visitor, the UDNP has geological and cultural programming. There will be a conversation circle to rescue the history of the native peoples, a guided ecological trail with six kilometers of route, and a recreational activity that helps in the future conservation of the Conservation Unit, with the planting of native trees by the visitors.

Park manager Jackeline Moreira says she has participated in the UDNP since 2019. “We have visitors who participate every year. We realized that many are proud to participate in the day, it reframes the relationship between people and protected areas, most understand that the Park is also theirs”.

Throughout the country, the Brazilian Trail Network (RBT) unites the Conservation Units through long-distance trails. Partner of Um Dia No Parque since 2019, RBT has a conservation project beyond the perimeter of the parks. “Um Dia No Parque is in the DNA of the Brazilian Trail Network. We have the long-term goal of somehow protecting the trails that connect the parks. As Um Dia No Parque defends Conservation Units, it makes perfect sense to be together”, says Pedro da Cunha e Menezes, director of the Brazilian Trail Network.

A Day in the Park goes beyond visitation. The manager of Biodiversity Conservation at Fundação Grupo Boticário, Emerson Antonio de Oliveira, explains that ecological tourism attracts not only tourists, but future conservatives. “We believe that visitation is a powerful way to strengthen Conservation Units, whether municipal or state, or even Private Natural Heritage Reserves [RPPNs]. This generates benefits for both the environment and society.” In 2021, the Foundation launched the diagnosis “ The Conservation Units, the challenges and opportunities for tourism in the recovery of the economy ”, which assesses the potential of ecotourism in the UCs.

How to participate in A Day in the Park?

Through  the action’s webpage , visitors can search for the Conservation Unit closest to their home across the country through an interactive map and filters.  You can also stay up to date with the program of activities on Um Dia No Parque ‘s social networks . Conservation Units can register until July 3rd to participate and propose activities in the largest mobilization for protected areas in the country using the form  on this link . 

About the Pro-UC Coalition 

The Coalition Pro-Conservation Units is a group of institutions that aims to bring together companies and civil society organizations committed to valuing and defending Nature Conservation Units. The Coalition is composed of: Pró UC Network – National Network for Protected Areas, SOS Mata Atlântica Foundation, International Conservation – CI Brasil, Boticário Group Foundation for Nature Protection, Imaflora – Forestry and Agricultural Management and Certification Institute, FUNBIO – Brazilian Fund for Biodiversity, Instituto Semeia, WWF-Brasil, The Nature Conservancy – TNC Brasil, Imazon – Institute of Man and the Environment of the Amazon, IPÊ – Institute for Ecological Research and IUCN-Brazil – International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Service:

A Day in the Park – July 24
Website :  https://umdianoparque.org.br
Instagram:  @umdianoparqueoficial
Facebook : @unidoscuidamos
Email :  contato@umdianoparque.net

Jéssica Amaral – DePropósito Communication of Causes