Brazil: Lençóis Maranhenses has been the most searched national park on Google in the last 12 months, says survey
According to the survey, the term “national park” is the second most searched version next to “park”, behind only “water park”.
Distrito Federal, Piauí, and Rio de Janeiro were the federative units that searched most for national parks in Brazil in the last 12 months.
The survey also shows that “What is a national park?” was the most searched question about national parks in Brazil in the last 12 months.
“Brazil’s oldest national park” is the fastest-growing term next to national parks in Brazil when comparing last year to the previous period.
Most searched national parks on Google in Brazil in the last 12 months:
- Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
- Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park
- Tijuca National Park
- Chapada das Mesas National Park
- Itatiaia National Park
- Chapada Diamantina National Park
- Chapada dos Guimarães National Park
- Serra da Capivara National Park
- Iguacu National Park
- Monte Roraima National Park
NATIONAL PARKS
According to law 9.985 of 2000, the basic objective of a national park is to preserve natural ecosystems of great ecological relevance and scenic beauty, enabling scientific research and the development of environmental education and interpretation activities, recreation in contact with nature, and ecological tourism.
In total, Brazil has 74 national parks.
LENÇÓIS MARANHENSES NATIONAL PARK
With more than 155,000 hectares, the National Park is located northwest of Maranhão state, about 250 km from the capital São Luís.
At the confluence of Cerrado, Caatinga, and Amazon, the most famous landscapes of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, created in June 1981, are the crystal clear lagoons between the dunes and are perfect for a refreshing bath after a walk on the sands.
WHAT THE PARK IS LIKE
You cannot enter the Park with a private car, quadricycle, or motorcycle.
The most common form of transport is the famous “Jardineira”, a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Be prepared to shake a lot!
In Barreirinhas, there are easier accesses, such as the one that goes to Lagoa Azul, and other more adventurous ones, such as a traditional 40-meter dune that makes the tourist need rope to climb it.
Unlike other national parks, there is no entrance fee to Lençóis.
But there are a series of rules: you cannot drink alcoholic beverages or bring pets, for example.
And there are no street vendors or kiosks: you have to take everything you will consume, even water.
COMPETITION FOR THE TITLE OF NATURAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY
The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is running for the title of Natural Heritage of Humanity, according to the NGO World Heritage Watch (WHW) list.
The nomination is made by the country where the Park is located and then sanctioned by Unesco.
Including Lençóis Maranhenses in the list confers priority status in the conservation of the site; with the title of natural heritage, its state of preservation comes under greater attention from the international community.
What counts most in the decision-making process is demonstrating that a candidate’s area is different and unique.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
There is an essential prerequisite among the ten items required for a site to be elected a World Heritage site.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) website, “sites must have outstanding universal value”.
The site must also represent a specific type of architecture or technology, a cultural tradition, or a lost culture.
The International Union then reviews candidates in the natural phenomena category for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
In turn, a place inscribed because of its natural beauty must be an area of outstanding beauty and aesthetic importance.
The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park application documentation has been ready since 2018 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Still, the process was stalled during the management of the former federal government.
APPLICATION APPROVED
On March 4 of this year, the governor of Maranhão, Carlos Brandão (PSB), announced that he received a letter from Unesco informing that the application of the Lençóis Maranhenses to the title Natural Heritage of Humanity met all the technical requirements.
According to Brandão, a Unesco commission will visit Maranhão to evaluate the Park.
WORLD RANKING
The North American newspaper The New York Times elected the 52 best destinations in 2023.
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park appears in 11th place.
In Lençóis Maranhenses, the great attraction for the newspaper are the white dunes, with natural pools described as “supernatural”.
With the title of natural inheritance, the preservation status of the National Park gets more attention from the international community.
With information from g1
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