Serra Negra State Park, State park in Itamarandiba, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Serra Negra State Park is a protected nature reserve in the Jequitinhonha Valley with a landscape featuring mountains, caves, and waterfalls spread throughout its area. Visitors find natural viewpoints and diverse terrain within the park's boundaries.
The park was created by decree 39.907 on 22 September 1998 to protect water sources in the dry Upper Jequitinhonha region, conserve Atlantic Forest, rocky field, cerrado and gallery forest ecosystems, reduce the impact of charcoal production and encourage ecotourism. It is part of the Espinhaço Mosaic of conservation units. A major fire swept through much of the park in the dry season of 2007, and in April 2013 the Public Ministry and Justice department of Minas Gerais charged the State Forestry Institute with failing to comply with environmental legislation, citing the lack of a management plan, infrastructure and personnel.
The park's name comes from the dark ridge of the Espinhaço Mountains it protects. Volunteer fire brigades have been trained and environmental awareness signs put up, and schools and communities around the park have taken part in environmental education work. Orchids and waterfalls are among the attractions visitors come for.
Visitors explore the area best on foot using various trails of different difficulty levels. The nearby city of Itamarandiba offers accommodations and serves as the main access point to the park.
The park lies where the Cerrado meets semideciduous seasonal forest, which covers about 94.13% of its vegetation. On sandy soils and mountain slopes grow stands of canela-de-ema (Vellozia squamata) over 3 metres tall, alongside cedro, braúna, ipê, peroba, jacarandá and vinhático. Ferns, orchids and velozias show high endemism.
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