It creates a sense of belonging': Brazil bets on hiking trails for conservation

"The idea that hiking trails are a tool for conservation is based on a simple premise: people protect what they know. That requires making conservation areas accessible. There's no point telling people you only protect what you know, if you don't give them the tools to know. The trail is this tool. People who hike, people who camp, these people often become defenders of the environment."

"The trail starts in the Ubajara national park in the state of Ceara and ends in the Sete Cidades national park in Piaui, crossing contrasting landscapes in three different biomes – the tropical Atlantic forest, the dry Caatinga, and the Cerrado, a biodiverse savannah."

"Unlike the US or European countries, which have networks of hiking paths dating back more than 50 years, Brazil only recently established a system of trails with standardised markings – black and yellow footprints – with the aim of increasing access to national parks, developing local economies, and better preserving the environment."

The Caminhos da Ibiapaba is Brazil's first standardized long-distance hiking trail in the northeast region, stretching 186 kilometers through forests, shrubland, and rock formations. Following paths used by 19th-century merchants, the trail connects Ubajara National Park in Ceará to Sete Cidades National Park in Piauí, crossing three distinct biomes: tropical Atlantic forest, dry Caatinga, and Cerrado savannah. Brazil's government launched a systematic trail policy in 2018 with standardized black and yellow footprint markings. The initiative aims to increase national park accessibility, stimulate local economies, and enhance environmental preservation. Hiking trails serve conservation by making protected areas accessible, fostering environmental stewardship among visitors. Trails also control wildfires, deter illegal activities like poaching, and function as wildlife corridors connecting protected areas.

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