Avaliação dos impactos ambientais do ecoturismo utilizando SIG e lógica Fuzzy

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to describe a methodology for the analysis of environmental impacts due to ecotourism activities, which can be easily employed by tourism managers and planners. The methodology uses multi-criteria evaluation, based in fuzzy logic, together with a Geographic Information System (SPRING) to treat information related to the variables that characterize an area and can influence its adequacy for ecotourism. The selections of the variables to be incorporated in the model for impacts assessment was based on the bibliography and are the ones most used in environmental impact studies including: topographic characteristics (declivity), pedologic characteristics (type of soil) and vegetation and land use characteristics. Other variables may be included in the analysis if the study area has some specific characteristics that deserve emphasis. In the case study, developed in the 29 Dam Region, in the city of São Carlos, SP, the methodology proved rather adequate for attaining the research objectives, allowing the spatial visualization of the results, expressed by classes of adequacy.