Integrated management of coastal conservation unit – itapeva state park, torres-rs, Brazil

Abstract

The National System of Conservation Units was created in order to preserve fragile environments that need to be protected in Brazilian territory. In Torres municipality, located in the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul state (RS), there are beaches with singular scenic attractivity in southern Brazilian coast, due to their natural characteristics, and five conservation areas/units. The Itapeva State Park (Parque Estadual de Itapeva – PEVA, in Portuguese), where this study was conducted, was created in 2002, in order to protect dune fields, swamps and native vegetation in the RS coastal zone. However, anthropic pressure and its consequences continues until today. In this study a diagnosis of the environmental impacts in the north limit of the PEVA conservation unit was carried out, as well as the local community characterization and its relationship with the environment in which they live, and a survey of existent management actions in the city was conducted, in order to subsidize the conservation unit management. The methods used were interviews, field observations and analysis of documents.