'A Day in the Park' brings ecotourism and environmental education to the people of Soure
Held in partnership by Setur and ICMBio, the event has already established itself as the main national campaign for the appreciation of Conservation Units in Brazil
The Marine Extractive Reserve of Soure, in the Marajó Archipelago, hosted a special program for the event "A Day in the Park" over the weekend (19 and 20), held in partnership between the State Secretariat of Tourism (Setur) and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). The action, which also takes place in various conservation units in municipalities such as Belém, Santarém, São Geraldo do Araguaia, and Bragança, aims to bring the population closer to protected areas, promoting conservation tourism and valuing the natural and cultural heritage of the Amazon.
"The event and the workshops strengthened social participation in the management of the UC. They enhance the knowledge and training of local guides and tour guides, who have always encouraged ecotourism and the preservation of the Unit," informed Lisângela Cassiano, responsible for Resex Soure at ICMBio.
Created in 2018 by the Pró-UC Network, inspired by the National Park Week in the United States, "A Day in the Park" has already established itself as the main national campaign aimed at valuing Brazilian Conservation Units (UCs). In 2025, the event gains even more relevance by celebrating the 25th anniversary of the National System of Conservation Units (SNUC), with the theme "Protecting what connects us." The expectation is that more than 450 units will participate in the mobilization across the country.
Potential - In Soure, the program highlighted ecotourism and environmental education actions, with lectures, workshops, interpretive trails, and activities focused on birdwatching — practices already incorporated into the daily life of the local community. As part of the program, participants discussed Ecotourism and Birdwatching, areas in which the municipality already shows great potential, with three completed editions of the "Trails and Walks" and "Birdwatching" courses, in addition to new classes planned due to high demand.
Representing Setur, the Professional Qualification Manager, Ana Cunha, highlighted the importance of the event as a tool for valuing nature tourism and decentralizing tourism activity. "The event aims to value ecotourism, encourage visits to parks, decentralize tourism, bringing tourists to lesser-known regions. The first day was on Saturday, when we had a very good discussion circle about trails and the National System of Conservation Units, which celebrated its anniversary last week. We talked about the trails we have already conducted and how we are operating today. On Sunday, we took a walk from Praia da Barra Velha to the Pesqueiro, crossing the Conservation Unit," said the manager.
'Think and enjoy' - The program also promoted a workshop on Trails, with the Brazilian Trail Network, taught by Diego Barros, a partner of the initiative and collaborator of Amazônia Aventura. He emphasized the strategic nature of "A Day in the Park."
According to him, "it is very important for conservation units all over Brazil, and the Brazilian Trail Network also has as one of its pillars the connectivity of these green areas, conservation units, and protected areas. In addition, it also prioritizes the connectivity of humans with contact with nature. It is a day to celebrate, to think, and to enjoy what beauty provides us day after day. It is also important to present the Atlantic Amazon Trail, a trail that starts in Belém and reaches the border with Maranhão, the Serra do Piriá, in Viseu. And this exchange between trails strengthens the trail movement in our Pará, which still has much to show of its beauties to Brazil and the world."
During the meetings, the community demonstrated strong engagement and active participation, resulting in a collaborative planning process, with demands raised on-site that should be addressed later this semester.
The Marine Extractive Reserve of Soure is nationally and internationally recognized as the first Brazilian unit certified on the Green List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), highlighting its importance for the socio-environmental conservation of the region.
