Biodiversité, géodiversité et enjeux de leur conservation dans les montagnes humides du Nordeste brésilien (Biodiversity, geodiversity and conservation challenges in the humid mountains of Northeast Brazil)

Abstract

Famous for its semi-arid environment and related droughts, Northeast Brazil has the distinction of being dotted with numerous humid mountain islands with an exceptional biotic (biodiversity) and abiotic (geodiversity) wealth. Only part of these mountains is today the subject of nature protection and regulation, in form of national parks and reserves, especially in order to protect the Atlantic rainforest still partially covering their steep slopes exposed to the humid trade winds. In these ecologically sensible environments, particularly threatened by accelerated deforestation, many geological and geomorphological sites deserve special attention and are of high scientific, educational and ecotourist values. A first attempt to preserve together the biodiversity and geodiversity of these mountain environments has been completed in 2006 by the creation of the first UNESCO Geopark of South America, around the Chapada do Araripe. This effort of integrated nature conservation must be taken as a model for developing protection and promotion strategies of the Natural Heritage in Northeast Brazil, both in the humid mountains and on the extensive semi-arid plains and piedmonts.