Cerrado

The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...

Zimbabwe

The second largest vegetation formation in South America covers one fourth of Brazil’s land area and small parts of Bolivia and Paraguay. An important source of water and the scene of incomparable natural and cultural beauty, the Cerrado is recognised as the richest savannah formation on the planet in terms of the variety of life forms. However, half of its original vegetation has already been destroyed.

Flor do cerrado. rel= © Aldem Bourscheit

Although the typical sparse and scrubby vegetation and the low twisted thick-barked trees have inscribed an almost indelible impression of monotony and little worth on the Brazilian collective imagination, in fact the Cerrado is just the opposite. The Cerrado is home to surprisingly beautiful, exotic landscapes and cultures with great economic and tourism potential. It is the site of a profusion of natural grasslands, savannahs, palm swamps and forests enhanced by many streams and waterfalls.

More about the Cerrado

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For millions of years, the ancient central plateau has been carved and moulded by waters that even today are crystal clear and abundant. We have to make sure that they stay that way for generations to come.

Paulo Bertran (1948-2006), writer, economist and historian, born in the state of Goias and educated in Brasilia, Strasbourg and the “vast universities of the Brazilian backlands”

Wallpapers

Download beautiful Cerrado wallpapers.

Biosphere reserve

Reservas da Biosfera rel= © MMA

The Cerrado Biosphere Reserve has an area of 296.5 thousand square kilometres and takes parts of the states of Goiás, Tocantins, Maranhão, Piauí and the Federal District.

It is one of six Brazilian reserves in this category recognised by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), alongside the Atlantic Forest, São Paulo Green Belt, Pantanal, Caatinga and the Central Amazon.

Cerrado Factsheet

In English (PDF, 1,38 MB)

What WWF-Brazil is doing for the Cerrado

The aim of the Cerrado-Pantanal Programme is to promote biodiversity conservation through the creation and implementation of protected areas, the preservation of species and by fostering sustainable development and economic activities with low environmental impacts. Find out more

To know more about the Cerrado

Curious facts about the Cerrado

Its area of 2,036,448 km² is equivalent to 23.92% of Brazil’s land surface and equal to the combined areas of Spain, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

The biome is one of the most unusual on the planet and, in spite of its poor acid soils, is home to 5% of all known species of living beings.