Protected Areas in Tropical Arid Regions: Experiences and Challenges from Brazil’s Caatinga I

10/10/2025
14:00 - 15:00
Brazil

Why attend

Protected areas in the Caatinga act as guardians of biodiversity and cultural heritage in tropical arid regions. This session will highlight science, local knowledge, and participatory management, showing through Serra da Capivara National Park how Brazil’s only exclusive biome inspires global solutions for conservation

Session Description

Tropical arid and semi-arid regions host unique biodiversity and ways of life shaped by variable climatic conditions. Local populations have developed coexistence strategies that became symbols of resilience and international references for sustainable use and intergenerational stewardship of natural resources.
However, human pressures and climate change are intensifying desertification, wildfires, and soil loss, increasing social vulnerability and accelerating biodiversity decline. In this context, protected areas play a strategic role: they already safeguard about 11% of the Caatinga’s coverage, strengthen scientific research, stimulate local economies through community-based tourism, family farming, and sustainable extractivism, and contribute to climate change mitigation policies.
In the Caatinga I Session, the focus will be Serra da Capivara National Park, a case study that integrates science, culture, and community development, inspiring global solutions for conservation in arid regions.