Semper-Vivas National Park
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Sempre-Viva_Serra-da-Canastra.jpg/220px-Sempre-Viva_Serra-da-Canastra.jpg)
The Semper Vivas National Park is a protected area established on December 13, 2002 in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil . It extends over 1,245.55 km² in the area of the municipalities Diamantina , Buenópolis , Bocaiúva and Olhos D'Água on the upper reaches of the Jequitinhonha River. The higher parts reach into the water-rich Serra do Espinhaço with waterfalls and gallery forest . Mata Atlântica grows in the lower elevations .
The name of the national park refers to the "semper-vivas" ( paepalanthus ), endemic flowers of Minas Gerais. Many families make a living from collecting the plants, which they sell to traders in Diamantina for a low price. From there they are exported to Japan at a high profit . These activities are now illegal, but are (still) tolerated.
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Coordinates: 17 ° 48 ′ S , 43 ° 48 ′ W