The São Francisco Xavier Environmental Protection Area () is an
environmental protection area in the state of
São Paulo
São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
, Brazil.
Location
The São Francisco Xavier Environmental Protection Area (APA) is in the municipality of
São José dos Campos
São José dos Campos (, meaning Saint Joseph of the Fields) is a major city and the seat of the Municipalities of Brazil, municipality of the same name in the state of São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Brazil. One of the leading industrial and res ...
, São Paulo.
The municipality is a key destination for regional tourism, with its waterfalls characteristic of the
ecosystems.
The APA has an area of .
The area holds one of the few remnants of broad leaf rainforest in the state.
The Serra dos Poncianos feeds the watersheds of the Peixe and Fartura rivers, the largest sources for the Jaguari Dam.
The climate is tropical montane, with an average temperature of .
There are several waterfalls, and trails for hiking and mountain biking.
Ecotourism while preserving biodiversity is seen as the most promising local economic activity.
History
The São Francisco Xavier Environmental Protection Area was created by SP state law 11.262 of 8 November 2002, and is regulated by law SMS 64/2008, which instituted its management plan.
It is mainly concerned with protecting water resources and the
southern muriqui, a primate.
It is managed by the Fundação Florestal of SP, with support from the prefecture of São José dos Campos.
It is part of the
Mantiqueira Mosaic of conservation units, established in 2006.
Notes
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sao Francisco Xavier Environmental Protection Area
Environmental protection areas of Brazil
Protected areas of São Paulo (state)
2002 establishments in Brazil