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Natural resources

Lencois Maranhenses National Park Receives UNESCO World Heritage Certificate

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Brazilian state of Maranhao recently celebrated the awarding of the Natural Heritage of Humanity Certificate to the Lencois Maranhenses National Park, a 155,000-hectare ecological paradise with dunes, rivers, lagoons, and mangroves. This certification is a significant milestone for the park, further solidifying its position as a major tourist destination and emphasizing the need for its preservation. The celebration was attended by top government officials, including the governor of Maranhao, Carlos Brandao, and the director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Brazil, Marlova Jovchelovitch Noleto. The ceremony marked a new chapter in the park's conservation efforts, with the government announcing plans to invest R$100 million in infrastructure to accommodate the increasing number of visitors.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Lencois Maranhenses National Park has received the UNESCO World Heritage Certificate, joining the ranks of only eight parks in Brazil to have received this designation.
  • The park spans an area of 155,000 hectares and boasts a unique natural phenomenon, with vast expanses of sand and lagoons formed by rainwater.
  • The certification was awarded in recognition of the park's exceptional natural beauty, biodiversity, and geological significance.
  • The Brazilian government has announced plans to invest R$100 million in infrastructure to improve water and sewage services, airport facilities, and tourist infrastructure.
  • The park's conservation efforts will be led by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), in collaboration with the state government and municipalities.
  • The UNESCO recognition is expected to boost tourism in the region, with an estimated increase in visitors and economic benefits for the local community.
  • The certification is also a recognition of the cultural heritage of the region, with the parkbeing a significant part of the identity of the people of Maranhao.
  • The park's unique landscape, with its vast expanses of sand and lagoons, makes it a rare geological phenomenon and a site of exceptional natural beauty.

Statistics:

  • R$100 million will be invested in infrastructure to improve services and facilities in the park.
  • 155,000 hectares is the total area of the Lencois Maranhenses National Park.
  • 8 parks in Brazil have received the UNESCO World Heritage Certificate.
  • 100,000 years ago, the park's unique landscape was formed by the action of nature.
  • 20 species of animals are found in the park, including some that are threatened with extinction.

Sources:

  • "Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses é Certificado como Patrimonio Mundial pela UNESCO" (Ma.gov.br)

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