Last updated: May 2025
Mapinguari National Park, located in the Amazon region of Brazil, is a protected area distinguished by its rich biodiversity and vast expanse of untouched tropical rainforest (2). It was officially created on June 5, 2008, by decree, covering an area of 1,776,914.18 hectares (2). The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) manages the park. It is linked to a management plan encompassing several nearby conservation units and their areas of influence (2, 3). Its main goal is to preserve the valuable natural ecosystems and scenic landscapes of the Purus-Madeira interfluvial region, which includes savanna enclaves (2, 3). The ecoregion where it is located has a high priority for botanical conservation due to parameters such as species richness and endemism (3). Additionally, the area presents great environmental heterogeneity, with several isolated and unique ecosystems, aspects that have been considered for fostering scientific research and public visitation, with programs for environmental education, recreation in contact with nature, and ecotourism (3). On March 8, 2013, an advisory council for the park was established to involve various stakeholders in decision-making and the effective conservation of the park (2), and in 2018 a Management Master Plan was established, seeking to develop an integrated approach for the protection and proper management of the region, especially considering the socio-environmental impacts of the construction of the BR-319 highway and the deforestation caused by fires, the expansion of soybean cultivation, land appropriation (7) and cattle ranching from the neighbouring state (3, 10). It was established as a Natural Park in 2008, but over the years it has undergone changes in land regulations, adding or decreasing its size as certain mining activities have been allowed in the buffer zone (2)
View of the river in the National Park Mapinguari
Global National Parks
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Improvements to water quality
- Water security
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Effective management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Tourism support
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Food scarcity / security
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Deforestation and forest degradation
- Soil degradation and loss
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Agriculture/ crop production
- Resource Scarcity and Competition
- Land rights conflicts
- Over-exploitation of natural resources (water resources, overgrazing, fisheries, mangroves, fore products)
- Other
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, River rehabilitation/ restoration, Upper watershed restoration and management, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems), Protection of natural ecosystems, Expansion of protected areas, Habitat conservation, Creating nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, or biodiversity hotspots to conserve unique ecosystems, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity, Habitat mapping, restoration and monitoring-focused management
Project objectives
Ensure the integrity of the rainforest ecosystems and protect them as a barrier to deforestation in the Amazon (2, 3, 11)
Support the conservation of Purus-Madeira interfluve's protected areas, maintaining their connectivity (2, 3, 11)
Preserve the Cerrado and Campinarana enclaves, protecting their biodiversity and scenic beauty (11)
Safeguard the headwaters of key rivers to ensure water quality for biodiversity and local communities (11)
Conserve natural resources in the southern Purus-Madeira for ecosystem services like carbon storage and biodiversity maintenance (11)
Protect significant geological features, such as the Três Irmãos and Candomblé mountains (11)
Safeguard isolated species populations from the Brazilian Central Cerrado in the Purus-Madeira interfluve (11)
Protect threatened species like the jaguar and giant anteater (11)
Promote ecotourism and adventure tourism to contribute to socio-economic development while conserving biodiversity (11)
Encourage sustainable development of local communities through nature conservation and environmental education (11)
Generate knowledge on the region's socio-biodiversity through research and information dissemination (11)
Implementation activities
The boundaries of the park were established according to Law 12249 in 2010. Under this regulation, some 180,900 hectares were added to the reserve. In 2013, a consultative council for the park was established, seeking to involve diverse stakeholders in decision-making and effective conservation of this biodiversity spot in Brazil's Amazon region (2, 3). And in 2017, the composition of the Mapinguari National Park Advisory Council was modified in the states of Amazonas and Rondônia.
In 2018 the Mapinguari National Park Management Plan was approved (3). The actions proposed in this plan were developed through a collaborative planning process involving key stakeholders, including managers, local and regional institutions, advisory council representatives, and civil organizations. This process contributed to a strategic conceptual model that considers the environmental, social, political, and cultural issues, ensuring more effective and efficient management of the protected area (11). This conceptual model focuses on conservation targets, ecosystem services and well-being objectives (11). Actions have focused on the generation of programs oriented towards Protection; Management, Administration and Institutional Strengthening; Research and Monitoring; Environmental Education and Public Use (11).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Increase the availability of green urban space for carbon storage (street tree cover)
- Implement sustainable forest management measures or protect existing old-growth forests to increase carbon sinks and/or protect existing carbon sinks.
- Raise public awareness of behaviours, lifestyle and cultural changes with mitigation potential
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
- Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
- Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
- Means for conservation governance
- Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
- Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
- Capacity building
Main beneficiaries
- Researchers/University
- Citizens or community groups
- Coastal-dependent communities (e.g. small-scale fishers, coastal farmers, and indigenous peoples)
- Marginalized groups: Indigenous communities, Other
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- National government
- Public sector institution
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Deliberative decision-making processes (e.g., consensus building, deliberative polling)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The National Government is the initiator actor, and it is managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation - ICMBio (8). It has a Mapinguari National Park Advisory Council, made up of sectors representing the Public Authorities and Civil Society (8), to ensure the fulfilment of the Master Plan goals. The public administration members include institutions like INCRA, UNIR, FUNAI, DNPM, DNIT, and various state and municipal environmental and infrastructure agencies. Civil society representatives include rural associations, agricultural support organizations, educational institutions, and local communities (10)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(Art. 29 of Law No. 9.985, of July 18, 2000, as well as Art. 17 to 20 of Decree No. 4.340, of August 22, 2002, which regulates its designation as a protected area. In addition, ICMBio's Normative Instruction No. 11, of June 8, 2010, which regulates the guidelines, norms and procedures for the formation and functioning of the Advisory Councils in the Federal Conservation Units.)
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships), City network or regional partnerships focused on climate change, sustainability, GI or NBS in the city
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
- Other funding sources are unclear
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Achieved enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increase in protected green space areas
- Achieved increase in protected green space areas
- Increased number of protection areas
- Achieved increased number of protection areas
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Achieved increased presence and recovery of wild species
Economic impacts
- Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- More sustainable tourism
- Expected more sustainable tourism
- Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
- Achieved increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Expected improved access to urban green space
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Promotion of cultural diversity
- Achieved promotion of cultural diversity
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Expected increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Achieved increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
UNEP-WCMC; IUCN (2024). Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM). Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Global National Parks (n.d.). Parque Nacional Mapinguari. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Unidades de Conservação no Brasi (n.d.). Parque Nacional Mapinguari. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Hyde, D. (2024). Mapinguari: o parque do guardião. [Source link];
5.
Money Times (2021). Incêndios voltam a crescer na Amazônia com desmatamento da floresta. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Aguiar, L.R.; Lima, T.R.; Lima, R.A. (2024). O ecoturismo como alternativa de desenvolvimento sustentável no Parque Nacional Mapinguari: uma revisão sistemática. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
7.
McNichols-Torroledo, A. (2020). Los Mura y su guerra ancestral para proteger la Amazonia. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Infraestrutura de Chaves Públicas Brasileira - ICP-Brasil (2013). Diario Oficial da Uniao. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Infraestrutura de Chaves Públicas Brasileira - ICP-Brasil (2008). Diario Oficial da Uniao. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
10.
EQUIPE DE PLANEJAMENTO DO ICMBIO (2018). PLANO DE MANEJO DO PARQUE NACIONAL DO MAPINGUARI – RO/AM. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
11.
Hangae, L., D'Amico, A., Fernandes, M., Blos, L., Faria, L., Moraes, L., Coutinho, E. (2018). PLANO DE MANEJO DO PARQUE NACIONAL DO MAPINGUARI – RO/AM. VOLUME II - PLANEJAMENTO . Accessed on October 4, 2024, [Source link];
View of the river in the National Park Mapinguari
Global National Parks
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.