the specific aims of the parks vary from one to another, but usually include the conservation of the rare, endemic, and endangered ecosystems, recovery and regeneration of areas that have faced deforestation and or degradation in the past, development of the area for sustainable economic activities, such as tourism, opportunities for visitation, recreation, education and research, as well as the development of employment opportunities in the region.

in addition to this, and to contribute to the protection of the parks, many activities have been restricted within these protected areas, such as the cutting of trees, the hunting and feeding of animals, and the extraction of the local natural resources.

as one of the earliest attempts to tackle environmental deterioration, several of rio's state parks have been established for many years now.