What threats do Brazilian National parks face?

Protected Areas are widely recognized for their role in conserving biodiversity and contributing to human wellbeing. However, PAs are globally facing serious threats as societies and many politicians still see them as opportunity costs. In Brazil, PAs are increasingly exposed to biodiversity loss due to biophysical processes such as invasive species and fires, and political pressures, such as infrastructure development, agribusiness interests, and a lack of political commitment. In this article, we present a desk-based analysis to identify and quantify threats to Brazilian National Parks. Our results indicate that hunting, land-use conflicts and agriculture are still perceived as the main threats to the long-term integrity of Brazilian protected areas. Our analysis also reveals differing levels of vulnerability to threats across Brazilian biomes. Dealing with these threats will require a complex mixture of policy, management and monitoring actions. Desk-based analysis and multiple data sources can be useful tools for improving these actions.