Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks

According to the management effectiveness evaluations of 2020 (Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park - CdVNP) and 2023 (Emas National Park), both protected areas have Advisory Councils (ICMBIO, 2023). The advisory council is a forum for discussion, negotiation, and management of the Conservation Unit and its area of influence, addressing environmental, social, economic, cultural, and political issues. It is formally established and linked to the management structure of the Conservation Unit. The CdVNP council is composed of 30 institutions, including Environmental Public Agencies, Public Authorities from Related Areas, Teaching and Research Institutions, the tourism sector, the Local Community Sector, the Private Natural Heritage Reserves Sector, the Agrobiodiversity Sector, and Non-Governmental Organizations (ICMBIO, n.d.a). The ENP council is composed by 16 institutions representing Environmental Public Agencies, Public Authorities from Related Areas, Teaching and Research Institutions, the agricultural sector, the tourism sector, the Private Natural Heritage Reserves Sector and Non-Governmental Organizations (ICMBIO, n.d.b). Since this body is established under the National System of Nature Conservation Units (SNUC) Law, it is expected to effectively engage stakeholders and rightsholders, including Indigenous peoples and local communities, in decision-making processes.

As a consequence of a decision of the Supreme Court taken in 2003, the CdVNP area returned to its former size of 65,515 ha. The Government of Brazil has been trying to re-establish the legal framework for the protection of the area inscribed on the World Heritage List. A presidential decree signed on 5th June 2017 set up the expansion of the boundaries of the CdVNP, re-establishing the national park status to most of the original area, except for land degraded by agricultural activities. Updated boundaries integrate part of the municipalities of Teresina de Goiás, Nova Roma and Sao Joao da Aliança. The final expansion covers 240,611 ha, adding important habitats areas for mammal species, while excluding the most degraded areas in the north of the property (IUCN Consultation, 2016). The approach of restoring legal protection to the largest extent possible within the existing property, and through establishing a mosaic of different protected areas within and outside the property to restore its integrity is a valid strategy (IUCN, 2013, 2016). In addition to this expansion, a process of land regularization of the protected area was started, with approximately 50 procedures for indemnification of properties located within the new limits of the National Park. Also, in May 2018, the Brazilian legislation changed the ICMBio procurement regime for the recruitment of firefighters, which would benefit the CdVNP and various other federal protected areas. The duration of contracts with fire brigades changed from six months to three years. With this change, the brigades now operate for a longer period of time, improving prevention measures for large fires and long-term firefighting strategies (State Party of Brazil, 2019a).
Regarding the expansion of the CdVNP, in 2021 a legislative decree project 338/2021, was proposed, which intends to reduce the National Park’s conservation area by up to 73%. The proposal seeks to annul the decree signed in 2017 by then-President Michel Temer, which expanded the park's conservation area from 65.000 hectares to 240.000 hectares. The justification given is that the expansion could leave hundreds of farmers without a source of income. Even though the decision is still under discussion, the debate itself is already causing harm, by encouraging land invasion (Cardim, 2022).
By contrast, land regularization in CdVNP has become essential for the territorial consolidation of the protected area and is considered crucial by ICMBio for expanding and developing activities in the area, it plays a vital role in managing conflicts arising from the park expansion (ICMBIO, 2021). However, by 2023 only 6% of its land had been incorporated by ICMBIO, 40% was with ongoing process, 19% were vacant/unclaimed areas identified by the state of Goiás, and 54% were lands with situation unknown.

The re-expansion of the CdVNP formalized in June 2017 was not free of resistance. Initially, a strict return to the original national park boundaries at the time of inscription was no longer an option due to the resistance of a group of landowners and unclear land tenure situation. However, after a public consultation process and meetings with rightsholders, a new extension was implemented, including territory of the local community Quilombola Kalunga. Several Natural Heritage Private Reserves (RPPN) were created around the Park, thanks to a great mobilization of civil society and private sector, triggered by the suspension of the park expansion decree in 2003 (State Party of Brazil, 2019a). Currently, the main shared governance forum is its Management Board; it now comprises government representatives of the five municipalities that compose the Park’s territory, as well as representatives from Private Reserves, tourist guides, communities, farmers, environmentalist NGOs, universities, State Government and other segments of the Federal Government, summing up to a total of 14 governmental representations and 15 non-governmental ones (State Party of Brazil, 2019b). Relationships with surrounding communities are relatively positive. Many longstanding and more recent residents of the surrounding areas have invested in conservation friendly enterprises and activities, including: ecotourism, creation of private nature reserves, transportation and guide services, inns, restaurants, hotels, arts and crafts, and others, the target audience for which essentially coincides with the stream of visitors and tourists to the CdVNP. Regarding the Emas National Park, there is an Advisory Council in place, which was modified in 2015 through Ordinance 1 of June 22, and grants 3 quotas for public environmental bodies, 4 quotas for public power bodies in related areas, 1 quota for academic and research institutions, 3 for associations in the agricultural sector, 3 for representatives of the tourism sector, 1 for the protected areas sector and a quota for civil society organizations (ICMBio, 2015). Since 2016, ICMBio has a Volunteering Program, as an opportunity for everyone to exercise their citizenship and contribute to a more balanced environment and improvement of the local quality of life. The population can work together with the ICMBio teams, in various actions for nature conservation such as research, visitation, communication, environmental education and protection (ICMBio, 2020c). Both, CdVNP and ENP are actively engaged in the program (ICMBio, 2020d and 2020e).

The Cerrado Protected Areas belong to the ICMBio Regional Management 3 (Mid-west), which conducts assessments of infraction notices, issues opinions and authorizations for licensing, supports the socioenvironmental agenda of federal Conservation Units (UCs), promotes local and regional articulation and encourages mutual collaboration between teams (ICMBio, 2020b). The Chapada dos Veadeiros (CdVNP) and Emas National Parks (ENP) are not ecologically connected as part of a larger landscape, however, each of them is integrated into other initiatives and regional connectivity schemes. The CdVNP is inserted into a mosaic of protected areas that include the state Environmental Protection Area of Pouso Alto and 22 Natural Heritage Private Reserves (RPPN), the newly created Chapada de Nova Roma Ecological Station, in addition to the Kalunga Quilombola Territory (Santos et al., 2018; State Party of Brazil, 2019a). These are all part of the Cerrado Biosphere reserve, which focuses on restoration of altered areas and building of ecological corridors. Additionally, in 2018, a proposal was presented in order to obtain the formal recognition of the Veadeiros-Paranã Mosaic, which objective is to promote the integrated management of 42 protected areas of the Cerrado; it will be the mosaic with the highest concentration of protected areas in Brazil. For this purpose, a geographic survey has been carried out to complete the National Register of Conservation Units (CNUC) of 14 of the 42 UCs, between municipal and private reserves. Without the completed CNUC, the Ministry of Environment cannot legally recognize the mosaic (ICMBio, 2018a; FUNBIO, 2018a). The ENP on the other hand, is part of the biodiversity Corridor Emas-Taquari, which in turn is integrated into the Cerrado-Pantanal Biodiversity Corridor. It is located in the Cerrado region, comprises eight townships and its nuclei areas are both the Emas National Park and the Parque Estadual das Nascentes do Rio Taquari (Benites and Mamede, 2008). Conservation International Brazil along with more than a dozen partners, developed conservation and mobilization projects for local communities to implement the corridor (CI Brazil, 2007), however, there is no evidence of recent activity related with the corridor.
Although the Government of Brazil stated in 2020 that the CdVNP is inserted in a mosaic of protected areas, which includes the Pouso Alto Environmental Protection Area (APA) and 22 natural heritage private reserves (RPPNs), as well as the Chapada de Nova Roma Ecological Station and the Kalunga quilombo territory (State Party of Brazil, 2020), by 2024 there is no up-to-date information evidencing progress with regard to recognition and management actions related to this mosaic. There is also no recent evidence of management activities in the Cerrado-Pantanal Biodiversity Corridor, except for the Emas-Taquari Biodiversity Corridor Carbon Project, which began in 2010 and is set to run for 35 years (brCarbon, n.d.).

Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada Dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2001 with an area of 235,970 ha, which had been expanded by a Federal decree the same year. However, following a ruling that the Federal decree was void, the CdVNP boundaries changed after inscription and reduced the Park to 65,500 ha in 2003. This loss of protection status caused serious concern and the World Heritage Committee requested the State Party to reinstate the appropriate legal protection regime over the entire World Heritage property (IUCN, 2019). A Presidential decree (5th of June 2017) expanded the area to 240,611 ha, including a mosaic of conservation units (private reserves, Quilombola Kalunga territory). The State Party submitted a proposal for a minor boundary modification of the site, which was approved in 2019 except for the excision of the area at the centre of the Chapada dos Veadeiros component (World Heritage Committee, 2019). The buffer zone remains the same: Pouso Alto Environmental Protection Area and 1,000 ha around the National Park (State Party of Brazil, 2019b). The State Party of Brazil (2019b) considers that with the expansion of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, the creation of the Chapada de Nova Roma Ecological Station in 2017 and the existence of the Natural Heritage Private Reserves, with all their areas in good conservation status, the level of protection of the site recognized as a World Heritage Site has been re-established. However, in 2021 a legislative decree project 338/2021, was proposed, which intends to reduce the National Park’s conservation area by up to 73%. The proposal seeks to annul the decree signed in 2017 by then-President Michel Temer, which expanded the park's conservation area from 65.000 hectares to 240.000 hectares. The justification given is that the expansion could leave hundreds of farmers without a source of income. Even though the decision is still under discussion, the debate itself is already causing harm, by encouraging land invasion (Cardim, 2022). By contrast, land regularization in CdVNP has become essential for the territorial consolidation of the protected area and is considered crucial by ICMBio for expanding and developing activities in the area, it plays a vital role in managing conflicts arising from the park expansion (ICMBIO, 2021). However, by 2023 only 6% of its land had been incorporated by ICMBIO, 40% was with ongoing process, 19% were vacant/unclaimed areas identified by the state of Goiás, and 54% were lands with situation unknown.

The Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park has been part of the Cerrado Biosphere Reserve since its creation in 1994. However, neither the 2021 management plan, the 2022 integrated fire management plan, nor the state of conservation reports submitted to the World Heritage Committee mention any coordination between these two conservation designations. Additionally, no evidence was found of the existence of an action plan for the Cerrado Biosphere Reserve.

The property has been the subject of several state of conservation reports (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019), mainly because of loss of the protection status generated by the significant reduction of Chapada dos Veadeiros national park boundaries. While efforts have continued to effectively protect the OUV of the areas that were excised from the CdVNP after its World Heritage designation, it has been possible to re-establish its protection regime on an area extended to 24,0611 ha, at the end of a very long process (World Heritage Committee, 2012; UNESCO, 2012, 2017; State Party of Brazil, 2017). The 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee in June 2019, through decisions 43 COM 7B.22 and 43 COM 8B.42, made several requests to the State Party of Brazil, including: a) to ensure that the management of the conservation units (expansion of the CdVNP, the Chapada de Nova Roma Ecological Station and new private reserves within the property) is harmonized and focused on the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property through development of an overarching Management Plan or other appropriate mechanisms; b) to continue the process of land regularization as a matter of priority and to submit a timeframe for its finalization, c) to ensure that the capacity to respond to fires is maintained in the long-term, particularly through the continued implementation of the Integrated Fire Management approach. The World Heritage Committee also recommend that the next report on the property include consideration of the effectiveness of the implementation of the protection and management requirements of the property in relation to its revised boundary (UNESCO, 2019).
In response to these Decisions, the State Party of Brazil delivered a new State of Conservation Report where significant progress was highlighted regarding: i) management actions and management effectiveness of CdVNP; ii) joint planning actions between de national park and Chapada de Nova Roma Ecological Station and new private reserves within the property; iii) Integrated Fire Management (IFM) strategy developed in the park has been consolidated and expanded through Chapada de Nova Roma Ecological Station adhesion and the capacity building course carried out with local Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs); iv) progress in land regularization (State Party of Brazil, 2020). Furthermore, an integrated fire management plan was developed in 2022 with the primary objective to reduce the occurrence of large wildfires to protect the site values, and in integration with other protected areas (MMA and ICMBIO, 2022). However, the legislative decree project 338/2021 proposed in 2021, which intends to reduce the National Park’s conservation area by up to 73% is of some concern.

The Chapada dos Veadeiros management plan does not include specific measures to protect its outstanding values from the negative impacts of climate change (ICMBIO, 2021). Additionally, there is no up-to-date management plan available for Emas National Park, making it impossible to determine whether such provisions exist.

The management of Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park (CdVNP) and Emas National Park (ENP) is carried out through separate management plans and is the responsibility of Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio), a semi-autonomous agency under the federal Ministry of the Environment (MMA). It is based on the principle of Shared Governance, with mechanisms and institutional processes in which several players share authority and responsibility (State Party of Brazil, 2019b). However, there is no evidence of an integrated management mechanism including both protected areas.
As for Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, the site has a management plan updated in 2021, it identifies clearly the fundamental resources and values (ICMBIO, 2021), however, there are no clear desired outcomes and indicators. The last management effectiveness evaluation from 2022 with an index of 59% indicates that the park is considered as moderately effective, that is, the expectations and results achieved in the unit correspond to the minimum management aspects necessary for the conservation and socio-biodiversity public policies. The Inputs indicator achieved the highest value (86%), due to the appropriate availability of inputs for the development of management actions. The high values achieved by the Results indicators should also be noted (80%), demonstrating a good level of conservation of the Resources and Values, despite of significant challenges arising from internal or external pressures on the territory, along with the incidence of wildfires. The Context indicator achieved the lowest value in the park (23,6%), demonstrating a difficulty to avoid/mitigate the prohibited uses in the property (ICMBIO, 2022a).

Regarding Emas National Park, there is no up-to-date management plan available. The last management effectiveness evaluation available for 2023 with an index of 71,5% indicates that the park is considered as effective, that is, the objectives for which the protected area was created are being met. The Products and services indicator achieved the highest value (86%), suggesting that the permitted uses occurring within the site does not impact negatively its values. The high values achieved by the Results indicators (75%) indicating a good conservation status of the Resources and Values, despite considerable challenges resulting from both internal and external pressures on the area (ICMBIO, 2023e).

The management effectiveness assessment of CdVNP for 2022 suggests that it has a surveillance plan; has a moderate staffing level and technical capacity, as well as financial resources directed towards this. The equipment availability for this action is sufficient, but high external support is needed in terms of human resources. Actions of the surveillance plan has been partially carried out (ICMBIO, 2022a).
Likewise, the management effectiveness assessment of ENP for 2023 indicates that it has a surveillance plan, but the staff level technical capacity, financial resources, equipment availability is moderate, only minimal external assistance is needed in terms of personnel, but the support from the environmental police and regional management is needed. Actions of the surveillance plan has been partially carried out (ICMBIO, 2023e).
Therefore, overall, although both Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks have surveillance plans in place, their implementation remains partial. These findings highlight the need for strengthened enforcement efforts and improved resource allocation to ensure effective protection of both parks.

In 2023 ICMBIO received its highest budget since its establishment in 2007, amounting to R$ 407 million—22.3% more than the previous year. According to the Directorate of Planning, Administration, and Logistics (Diplan), a substantial share of these resources will be allocated to prevention initiatives, such as prescribed burns (ICMBIO, 2023c). Nonetheless, it is unclear if these resources are adequate to implement management measures to maintain the two protected areas values.
The management effectiveness assessment of Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park underlines “Environmental Compensation and Financial Sustainability” as one of its key processes and “Implement a financial sustainability plan” as one of the management actions. Nonetheless, the staffing level and technical capacity for this action is moderate and high external support from management bodies is needed (ICMBIO, 2022).
The management effectiveness assessment of Emas National Park highlights “Environmental Compensation and Financial Sustainability” as one of its key processes. However, it is at a moderate level of consolidation, indicating the need for strengthening in terms of a designated focal point, an established routine, or a valid, assessed, and monitored instrument (ICMBIO, 2023e).

The most recent periodic report points to deficiencies in capacity and resources and indicates that recruitment efforts are underway for qualified public personnel and assignment from other agencies and hiring outsourced collaborators to fill gaps (State Party of Brazil, 2023).

The Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park has an environmental education planning for the surrounding areas that aims to raise environmental awareness to minimize threats and impacts on the protected area. It includes actions such as “Educating for Conservation”, focused on local schools to foster a closer connection with the park, and “Participation in Local Events”, engaging in community events to raise awareness about conservation (ICMBIO, 2021). Nevertheless, the 2020 management effectiveness assessment found that technical capacity for this implementation is low, and significant external support is needed, thus this action was partially carried out (ICMBIO, 2022). Also, the management plan acknowledged the need of developing an environmental interpretation plan to expand knowledge and recognition of the historical and cultural value of the territory where the Park is located, as well as to gather archaeological information within this protected area (ICMBIO, 2021).
Regarding Emas National Park, one of the management actions was “Elaborate an environmental education program/plan”. The action was carried out despite moderate financial resources (ICMBIO, 2023e). According to the State Party, efforts are underway to expand the educational programmes (State Party of Brazil, 2023).

Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park (CdVNP) is one of the main federal conservation units (UCs) visited in Brazil, experiencing an increase of visitors. At the moment, CdVNP is managed under concession by Sociparque consortium. The concession agreement will be for 20 years and provides for investments of R$ 2.5 million to improve the tourist infrastructure, including the renovation of the Visitors Center, the renovation of a road that gives access to the trails and attractions of the place, improvement of the infrastructure in the area reserved for camping, provision of internal transport and installation of a space for catering (Socicam, 2019).
Presently, CdVNP includes five attractions open to visitors, with one offering an overnight stay, and a trail system. Some attractions have a carrying capacity limit: the Saltos e Corredeiras (250 people per day), the “Canions e Cariocas” (200 people per day), and the “Seriema trail” (30 people per day). According to the inventory of potential activities, 27 attractions were identified, with an offer of 61 existing activities and another 55 potential activities to be implanted (Andrade, 2018). In 2020, Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park inaugurated two new trails: the "São Jorge - Capela" Crossing and the Pouso Alto Visitor Area. Developed over two years in line with the park’s Management Plan, the 25km São Jorge - Capela trail, which follows part of a historic route connecting São Jorge to the Capela community and marks the first official park access from Cavalcante (GO), includes a new camping area, enhancing regional tourism. As part of the 490 km Caminho dos Veadeiros hiking route, it is now the longest trail within the park, offering overnight stays in the site. This initiative was made possible through partnerships with local authorities, environmental organizations, firefighters, and community members (ICMBIO, 2022b). By February 2025, the National Network of Long-Distance Trails and Connectivity (RedeTrilhas), which connects various nature trails across Brazil, officially recognized the Caminho dos Veadeiros in as part of the system, developed by the Ministries of Tourism, Environment and Climate Change, the ICMBIO, and volunteers. RedeTrilhas fosters the expansion of economic activities, enhancing tourism experiences for visitors while creating additional livelihood opportunities for local communities engaged in tourism services (Ministério do Turismo, 2025). The management effectiveness assessment suggests that the key process “Public use and tourism” is totally consolidated (ICMBIO, 2022a).

The Emas National Park offers characteristic landscapes and the observation of animals typical of the Cerrado (giant anteater, wild dog, rhea, tapir, deer and others). It includes 354 km of trails; some could be self-guided and others require the presence of accredited guides. With the support of third parties, some tours are offered: boat including diving activities; cross buoy, navigating the stretch of the Formoso river rapids; cycling and the safari car ride, with a maximum capacity of 20 people for driving within the park. Since November 2017, the ENP started a volunteer program, to contribute to the Park's activities such as mapping of natural fire areas, research on the fauna management of the jawed populations, planting of seedlings and reforestation, elaboration of a new signage project and park signs to be implemented are carried out (ICMBio, 2020e). The park built a new support facility at Espaço Formoso, located near the river of the same name that runs through the area, making it more comfortable and safer for visitors (ICMBIO, 2023d). According to the latest periodic report the implementation of the concession at Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is in progress and an increase in the visitation structure of the Emas National Park is planned (State Party of Brazil, 2023).

In Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, livestock is permitted for communities that resided there before the park's creation (ICMBio, 2020a). However, there is insufficient information to determine whether this is sustainable in practice.

Monitoring in federal conservation units is coordinated by the ICMBio through the “Monitora Program -National Biodiversity Monitoring Program” and one of its objectives is to generate qualified information for the ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of federal conservation units (UCs) and the National System of Conservation Units in meeting their biodiversity conservation objectives. The Monitora Program was formalized in 2017, and both CdVNP and ENP have ongoing monitoring (ICMBio, 2018b).
“Biodiverity monitoring” is one of the key processes of Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks. By 2022 in CdVNP this process was in a moderate state of consolidation. The staffing level, equipment and financial resources are very low, the technical capacity is moderate as well as the external support needed (ICMBIO, 2022a). Whereas, in ENP the process was highly consolidated, and the staffing level, equipment and financial resources are moderate as well as the external support needed (ICMBIO, 2023e). Further efforts are underway to better utilise monitoring data to improve management (State Party of Brazil, 2023).
Regionally, the National Center for Biodiversity Assessment and Cerrado Research and Conservation (CBC) works towards the production of technical and scientific knowledge to support conservation and sustainable use actions in the Cerrado biome, including in situ monitoring of biodiversity in savanna environments and the restoration and recovery of degraded environments, with the data systematized in the ICMBio Dynamic Information Panel (ICMBio, 2020f). This panel is a national platform for the information on federal protected areas provided by the 14 ICMBio research centers and offering information about the management of UCs, endangered species, public use and tourism, people management, protection and inspection of UCs, fauna and flora, socio-environmental actions and other (ICMBio, 2020f).
About fire monitoring, the portal Queimadas is continuously monitoring outbreaks of wildfires and forest fires detected by satellites, calculating and predicting vegetation fire risk, and registering updated information per biome and state, even with the chance to focus on protected areas (INPE, 2020). Monitoring of the natural regeneration in sensitive environments after fire was carried out in CdVNP with a team of researchers from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), University of Brasília (UnB) and the University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), (UNESCO, 2019). Specific efforts are also recognized, such as some platforms of community monitoring registered data for species, as is the case of EcoRregistros, observations in the ENP related to the Venado de las Pampas (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) has been recorded (EcoRegistros, 2020).

“Research” is one of the key processes and management actions of Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks. By 2022 in CdVNP the staffing level, technical capacity and financial resources were sufficient, while equipment availability was moderate, and the external support was needed for this aspect (ICMBIO, 2022a). Whereas, in ENP the process was highly consolidated, and the staffing level, equipment and financial resources are moderate as well as the external support needed for effective research (ICMBIO, 2023e). Efforts are underway to establish research partnerships with higher education institutions geared towards management needs and improving understanding of the OUV (State Party of Brazil, 2023).

While the current and potential threats affecting the Cerrado Protected Areas originate mostly outside the site (cattle ranching and agriculture, biological isolation, increasing dam construction, invasive species and climate change), its mitigation and control is essentially beyond the mandate and capacity of the ICMBio. Nonetheless, it is more likely for the Chapada dos Veadeiros NP, being part of the Pouso Alto Environmental Protection Area and having several private reserves in the surroundings, to face these growing threats as a conservation block. To achieve this, it is necessary to “ensure that the management of these different conservation units is harmonized and focused on the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, through the development of an overarching Management Plan or other appropriate mechanisms”, as recommended by the World Heritage Committee in 2019 (UNESCO, 2019). This is unfortunately not possible for the Emas NP, unless connectivity processes with other conservation areas are strengthened.

The management effectiveness assessments of Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks reveal differing levels of effectiveness in addressing internal and external threats. Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, with a 2022 effectiveness index of 59%, is considered moderately effective, meeting only the minimum requirements for conservation and public policies. While the Park benefits from high availability of inputs (86%) and demonstrates strong conservation results (80%), it struggles with controlling prohibited uses, as indicated by its low Context score (23.6%). In contrast, Emas National Park, with a 2023 effectiveness index of 71.5%, is classified as effective, meaning its conservation objectives are being met. The Park excels in managing permitted uses (86%) and maintaining a strong conservation status (75%), despite facing significant pressures. However, the lack of an up-to-date management plan presents a challenge for long-term strategic planning. While both parks demonstrate resilience in conserving biodiversity, persistent threats such as wildfires and land use pressures require ongoing improvements in governance and enforcement.