Chapada dos Guimarães National Park

Chapada dos Guimarães National Park
Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Guimarães
IUCN category II (national park)
Véu da Noiva waterfall

Coordinates	15°21′32″S 55°53′53″W / 15.359°S 55.898°W / -15.359; -55.898Coordinates: 15°21′32″S 55°53′53″W / 15.359°S 55.898°W / -15.359; -55.898
Area	32,630 hectares (80,600 acres)
Designation	National park
Created	12 April 1989
Administrator	ICMBio

The Chapada dos Guimarães National Park (Portuguese: Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Guimarães) is a national park in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. It is a region of rugged terrain with dramatic cliffs and waterfalls, and contains the geographical centre of the continent.

Background

The origins of the park date to 13 September 1910 when the vice president of Mato Grosso, Colonel Pedro Celestino Corrêa da Costa, concerned about the devastation of vegetation in the headwaters of the Coxipó-açu, Manso and Cuiabá rivers, declared that the area was one of public utility. In 1984 a coalition of environmentalists, artists and intellectuals in the state launched a petition to protest against the act of the government in creating a tourist complex nearby. In February 1986 a national campaign was launched by NGOs to ask president José Sarney to create the national park. This finally took place three years later.^[1]

Location

The park was created on 12 April 1989 by Law 97.656, with 32,630 hectares (80,600 acres). It lies in the municipalities of Cuiabá and Chapada dos Guimarães. The purpose is to protect significant samples of the local ecosystems and to ensure the preservation of natural and archaeological sites, while supporting appropriate use for visiting, education and research.^[2] The park is in the basin of the upper Paraguay River, protecting the headwaters of the Cuiabá River, one of the main feeders of the Mato Grosso Pantanal.^[3] Chapada is a Brazilian word that means a region of steep cliffs, usually at the edge of a plateau.

The geographical center of South America, formerly considered to be in the city of Cuiabá where it is marked by a white marble obelisk, is in fact located in the park near the town of Chapado dos Guimarães at the "Mirante de Geodésia", a scenic lookout point.^[4]

Environment

The climate is tropical, with temperatures ranging from 12 to 25 °C (54 to 77 °F) and annual rainfall of 1,800 to 2,000 millimetres (71 to 79 in). The rain falls mostly in spring and summer, with a little rain in autumn and winter. The terrain of the park is characterized by large hills and red sandstone cliffs ranging from 600 to 800 metres (2,000 to 2,600 ft) in height. Visitor attractions include mountain peaks, waterfalls and caves.^[1]

Fauna include Jaguar, pampas deer, howler monkey, tapir, giant anteater, giant armadillo, maned wolf, emu and seriema. Parrots, swifts and red macaws nest in the sandstone cliffs. The park is threatened by fire in the cold, dry and windy period of the year, often caused by human activities near or in the park. Lightning does not seem to be an important cause, since it is usually followed by rain.^[1]

Mirante de Geodésia

Notes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chapada dos Guimarães National Park.

Sources

"Chapada dos Guimarães", Ambientes Brasil (in Portuguese), retrieved 2016-05-01
Guia do Visitante (in Portuguese), ICMBio, retrieved 2016-05-01
Ken Jennings (27 October 2014), The Center of South America Is in Two Different Spots—Here's Why, Condé Nast, retrieved 2016-05-01
Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Guimarães (in Portuguese), ICMBio, retrieved 2016-05-01

Protected areas of Brazil

Ecological stations	Aracuri Caracaraí Carijós Guaraqueçaba Iquê Jari Juami-Japurá Jutaí-Solimões Maracá Maracá-Jipioca Niquiá Pirapitinga Rio Acre Seridó Serra das Araras Taiamã Taim Tamoios Tupinambás Tupiniquins Uruçui-Una

Biological reserves	Abufari Andradina Atol das Rocas Augusto Banhados do Delta Canela Preta Carmo da Mata Colônia 31 de Março Comboios Córrego de Veado Córrego Grande Fazenda São Mateus Fontes do Ipiranga Guaporé Guaratiba Guaribas Gurupi Ibirapuitã Ilha do Cabo Frio Jaíba Jaru Lago Piratuba Lami José Lutzenberger Lapinha Marinha do Arvoredo Mata do Acauã Mata do Jambreiro Mata dos Ausentes Mata Paludosa Mogi-Guaçu Pedra Talhada Perobas Pindorama Poço das Antas Praia do Sul Biological Reserve Professor José Ângelo Rizzo Rio Trombetas Saltinho Santa Isabel Santa Rita São Camilo São Donato São Sebastião do Paraíso Serra Negra Sooretama Tamboré Tapirapé Tinguá Uatumã Una Vila Facchini

National parks	Abrolhos Alto Ribeira State and Tourist Park Amazônia Anavilhanas Aparados da Serra Araguaia Araucárias Brasília Cabo Orange Campos Gerais Caparaó Cavernas do Peruaçu Chapada das Mesas Chapada Diamantina Chapada dos Guimarães Chapada dos Veadeiros Emas Fernando de Noronha Furna Feia Grande Sertão Veredas Iguaçu Ilha Grande Itatiaia Jacupiranga Jaú Jericoacoara Jurubatiba Juruena Lençóis Maranhenses Monte Pascoal Monte Roraima Nascentes Pacaás Novos Pantanal Matogrossense Pau Brasil Pedra Azul Pico da Neblina Pontões Capixabas Lagoa do Peixe Saint-Hilaire São Joaquim Sempre Vivas Serra da Bocaina Serra da Bodoquena Serra da Canastra Serra da Capivara Serra da Cutia Serra de Itabaiana Serra da Mocidade Serra do Cipó Serra do Divisor Serra do Itajaí Serra do Pardo Serra dos Órgãos Serra Geral Sete Cidades Superagüi Terra Ronca Tijuca Tumucumaque Ubajara Vale do Catimbau Viruá Xingu

Wildlife refuges	Castanheiras Pied Tamarin Ilha dos Lobos

Environmental protection areas	Anhatomirim Barra do Rio Cairuçu Cananéia-Iguape-Peruíbe Carste Cavernas do Peruaçu Descoberto River Basin Fernando de Noronha Guaraqueçaba Ibirapuitã Igarapé Gelado Morro da Pedreira Petrópolis Piaçabuçu Guapimirim Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago São Bartolomeu River Basin Serra da Mantiqueira Serra de Tabatinga

Ecological reserves	Alcobaça Apiacás IBGE Raso

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