Threats and Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use in the Buffer Zones of National Parks in the Brazilian Cerrado

Eleven of the 15 buffer zones surrounding national parks in Brazil's Cerrado biome are identified as high to very high priority for conservation actions, with the Serra da Bodoquena, Emas, Canastra, and Brasília parks ranking highest. The study, using multicriteria analysis methods like the analytic hierarchy process and weighted linear combination, highlights severe ecological connectivity losses (up to 44.5%) in buffer zones such as Grande Sertão Veredas, Nascentes do Rio Parnaíba, and Serra das Confusões between 2012 and 2020. The research emphasizes the need for targeted conservation efforts in the northern Cerrado, where natural vegetation remains relatively intact, while promoting sustainable land use practices in the more densely occupied southern regions.

Soares, A. C. d. S., Sano, E. E., Aquino, F. d. G., & Almeida, T. d. (2025). Threats and Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use in the Buffer Zones of National Parks in the Brazilian Cerrado. Sustainability, 17(14), 6597. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146597