(In)Effectiveness of Permanent Preservation Areas in Controlling Deforestation in the Amazon: A Case Study of the Mapinguari National Park, Brazil

Deforestation in the Amazon Biome has become more evident through the "arc of deforestation." Protected Areas (APs; Abbreviation in Portuguese) in the Amazon play numerous environmental services in this region, notably the preservation of sources within the Purus and Madeira River interfluve, the conservation of habitats for plant and animal species, and large-scale carbon stocking in forests, influencing climate regulation, for example. This study aimed to analyze not only the deforestation dynamics within the boundaries and Buffer Zone (BZ) of the Mapinguari National Park (PNM; Abbreviation in Portuguese) but also the recently adopted national policies. The temporal scope of 2009-2019 was analyzed, assessed every two years, considered properties within the PNM. Using the 2018 Management Plan (MP) and cartographic bases from MapBiomas and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio; Abbreviation in Portuguese), changes in land use and land cover (LULC) were quantified within the park and its BZ. Cartographic data for rural property boundaries in municipalities sharing territory with the park were acquired from the Environmental Rural Registry National System (SICAR; Acronym in Portuguese). The map cutting process was executed with the QGIS open-source software, and class separation and calculation were performed using the R programming language. Results indicate subtle deforestation within the park boundaries. However, values are significant within the BZ and are expanding across almost the entire park area, compromising the buffer envisaged by the MP. Growth of anthropic areas is primarily observed on the south and southeast sides, a consequence of pre-existing farms and proximity to urban centers. The findings also underscore the importance of national and international financial assistance, stimulated by the Brazilian government's adoption of national parks, creating a mechanism that facilitates financial transfer with local resource management.