Brazil is moving to step up spending on national parks and biological reserves amid evidence the country’s protected lands are under serious strain. In a study released last month, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says parks and reserves face problems ranging from poor maintenance and security to illegal logging and mining. The WWF asserts that of the 36 national parks and 50 biological reserves in Brazil at the time it conducted its study, 55% were in a precarious state, 37% were minimally maintained, and only 8% met reasonable standards. It says 87% of the tracts had no management plans and 73% lacked maintenance personnel. Officials with the Environment Ministry and Ibama, the agency in charge of environmental enforcement, have criticized the report, asserting it relies... [Log in to read more]