Serra da Canastra

Serra da Canastra National Park, established in 1972, protects 197,787 hectares of Brazilian highlands in the state of Minas Gerais, encompassing the headwaters of the São Francisco River, one of Brazil's most important waterways. The park features dramatic escarpments, rolling grasslands, gallery forests, and spectacular waterfalls including the 186-meter Casca d'Anta falls. Serra da Canastra is renowned for its endemic species adapted to high-altitude cerrado ecosystems, including the maned wolf and the endangered Brazilian merganser. The park also supports traditional cheese-making communities producing the famous Canastra cheese, representing an important intersection of conservation and cultural heritage.

Serra da Canastra's establishment in 1972 made it one of Brazil's earlier national parks, created to protect the headwaters of the São Francisco River and the region's unique highland ecosystems. However, the park's creation was controversial, as it displaced some residents and restricted traditional land uses including cattle grazing and cheese production. These conflicts remained unresolved for decades, with de facto occupation of significant portions of the designated park area. Regularization efforts beginning in the 1990s sought to address these issues through land purchases and establishment of buffer zones allowing traditional activities. The park's management has evolved to embrace cultural heritage preservation alongside natural conservation, recognizing the Canastra cheese tradition as valuable cultural heritage. This integration has reduced conflicts while maintaining conservation effectiveness.

Visitor access to Serra da Canastra National Park varies by season and location. Main entry points are accessible via road from nearby towns. The park offers basic visitor facilities including information centers where available, designated camping areas, and marked trails to major attractions. Local communities near park boundaries sometimes offer accommodation and guide services. Visitors are advised to contact park administration or local tour operators before arrival to confirm current access conditions.

Conservation efforts at Serra da Canastra National Park focus on protecting critical ecosystems and biodiversity while addressing ongoing threats from development pressures, illegal resource extraction, and climate change. Management strategies include ranger patrols to prevent illegal activities, monitoring programs tracking ecosystem health and species populations, and partnerships with local communities to develop sustainable livelihoods that reduce pressure on park resources.