The role of private natural heritage conservation areas in promoting sustainable development Goals Insight

• PNHRs support key SDGs by linking conservation goals with sustainable land management. • PCA shows strong alignment of PNHRs with SDGs 3, 6, 13, and 15. • Regional and biome-specific differences reflect diverse conservation priorities. • PNHRs act as indicators of local progress toward Brazil’s 2030 sustainability agenda. Private Natural Heritage Reserves (PNHRs) in Brazil are increasingly viewed as decentralized instruments for sustainability governance, yet their function as territorial indicators of socio-environmental performance remains underexplored. This study investigates the extent to which PNHRs can serve as localized barometers of sustainability, with an emphasis on the environmental functions and socio-economic engagements that reflect core principles of the 2030 Agenda. Drawing on spatial and categorical assessment techniques across varying biomes and governance types, the research identifies patterns in reserve-level management behaviors that correspond with strategic sustainability targets, including watershed protection, biodiversity maintenance, and health-related ecosystem services. Through a comparative analysis of motivations, usage profiles, and governance models, the study finds that PNHRs provide a functional interface between conservation practice and sustainable development imperatives—operating as both custodians of ecological integrity and enablers of human well-being. These findings support the recognition of PNHRs as embedded, place-based systems capable of indicating progress in integrated conservation-development efforts and inform policy on enhancing their strategic role in sustainability monitoring and territorial planning.