São Joaquim National Park (Portuguese: Parque Nacional de São Joaquim) is a national park located in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Location
The park is located in the Atlantic Forest biome. It covers an area of 48,300 hectares (119,000 acres). It was created by a government order on July 6, 1961, and is managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation. It spans parts of the municipalities of Urubici, Orleans, Grão Pará, and Bom Jardim da Serra in Santa Catarina. The park was originally established to protect the remaining forests of the Paraná pine, Araucaria angustifolia. It is now also known for alpinism. The park borders the 1,330 hectares (3,300 acres) Serra Furada State Park, which was created in 1980.
Temperatures in the park range from 0 to 28 °C (32 to 82 °F), with an average of 12 °C (54 °F). The land is very rough and includes canyons, large caves, and slopes covered in native forest. Altitudes range from 300 to 1,826 metres (984 to 5,991 ft). The park is the source of the main rivers in the state, including the basins of the Canoas River, Tubarão River, and Pelotas River. The cold climate does not support many animals, but several endangered species live in and around the park.
Conservation
The park is a type of protected area known as an IUCN category II (national park). Its goals include protecting natural ecosystems that are important for the environment and have beautiful scenery, allowing scientists to study the area, teaching people about the environment, offering outdoor activities, and supporting eco-tourism. The park aims to protect the Araucária Forest, alpine meadows, and cloud forests. Animals that live in the park include the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), cougar (Puma concolor), red-spectacled amazon (Amazona pretrei), and Chaco eagle (Buteogallus coronatus).
- Bridal Veil Cascade
- Ice on plants in high meadow
- Mountainside road