one of the highly regulated conservation units is the area of environmental protection and urban renewal - aparu,  (área de proteção ambiental e recuperação urbana) which aims to preserve and recover some of the country's local, natural ecosystems, which may have experienced changes as a result of human occupation.

this unit has a vast coverage, and looks to not only protect the environments, but to encourage the scientific study of the flora and fauna housed within, and to promote sustainable leisure activities within the areas.

this initiative closely administers the actions that people are allowed to partake in within the aparu areas, to be sure that the ecosystems are not damaged or impacted by outside influences.