Avaliação da efetividade de gestão das Áreas de Proteção Ambiental: o caso da APA de Itupararanga

Abstract

This work seeks to better understand the challenges in the management processes of the Environmental Protection Areas. For this, Itupararanga’s Protected Area was used as a case study. As a source of data, was analyzed the Annual Water Quality Reports of the Itupararanga Dam, satellite images showing the real situation of land use and occupation, as well as Technical Opinions of environmental licensing processes of residential settlements that were established, or intend to settle in the study area. The results showed that environmental quality has declined over the years: the environmental quality of the water is declining and the native vegetation areas have been significantly replaced by agricultural and urban areas, results that do not match the objectives established in the APA Management Plan. A plausible explanation for such results is the minimization of the power of the Managing Boards in the environmental licensing processes, because they are only advisory and not deliberative. It is concluded that from the point of view of substantive effectiveness, the APA is not being effective, although the Management Council is active and of technical knowledge