Parks - IUCN

GEORGE GEORGIADIS AND SILVANA CAMPELLO
the Serra do Mar is Brazil’s most popular resort region. The economy of all concerned
municipalities already revolves around tourism, and ecotourism in particular is the
fastest-growing segment of the industry. Already a number of resort hotels have
established private conservation units for their guests on the slopes of the Serra do
Mar. Seeing the trend, some management agencies and NGOs are beginning to build
trails, visitor centres, and other visitor infrastructure into some conservation units,
such as Serra do Mar State Park, and the results are promising. More and more
Brazilians are beginning to enjoy nature trails, mountain climbing, bird watching, and
other forms of nature-based tourism. Foreign visitors are beginning to discover the
Serra do Mar, where it is possible to see 150 species of birds (out of a possible 600)
and 200 varieties of bromeliads in a single morning’s hike. Each new visitor to the
Serra do Mar adds to the growing pool of public support at the national and
international level, while tourist revenues generate support at the local level.
Meanwhile, owners of property along prospective corridors become more receptive
to conservation, and even set up privately-maintained reserves, as they become
aware that the greatest economic return from their lands can be obtained by keeping
them as pristine as possible in order to attract ecotourists. This, we believe, is the path
to successful implementation of the Serra do Mar corridor.
Implementation strategy
As mentioned above, implementation of phase 1 of the Serra do Mar corridor has
already begun. This effort has received support from government agencies and
private donors. Gradually a coalition of diverse interests is being formed, with the
protection of the Serra do Mar as its common goal. The strategy developed to build
this coalition and achieve its aims consists of the following components:
❚ Integration of protected areas into the local economy – as shown above, the single
most important obstacle to implementation of the Serra do Mar corridor is lack of
public support at the local level. By developing activities such as ecotourism in
each of the protected areas where legislation and management regulations allow
it, parks and reserves can be turned into economic assets for surrounding towns.
Once this is accomplished, resources
and support for effective implementation
become much easier to secure.
❚ Expansion of protected area
coverage – this is the most effective way
to link existing protected areas along
the corridor. Protected area coverage
can be expanded by a variety of
approaches, such as enlarging the
boundaries of existing parks and
reserves or working with municipal
governments to prevent development
on the slopes of the Serra do Mar
through municipal master plans and
zoning ordinances. The best approach
varies on a case-by-case basis, and it is
important to not expand protected area
coverage beyond the management
31
The Serra do Mar
has so far largely
been saved from
clearing by its
relative
inaccessability of
steep escarpment
topography.
Photo:
Fabio Colombini.