dc.description.abstract | The objective of this paper was to analyze management effectiveness and the socioenvironmental sustainability of the Jenipabu Environmental Protection Area – APAJ, located
on the eastern coast of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. The research is divided into
two parts: one on a state scale, where was conducted an integrated study of the protected areas
– PAs located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte from spatial variables and instruments of
planning and management; and another on local scale, where were investigated the main
socio-environmental conflicts, the effectiveness of management and the sustainability of the
APAJ. Were used the dialectical method and the systemic approach, and the methodological
procedures involved: field surveys, application of the questionnaire and form, content
analysis, aerial photogrammetric mapping using unmanned aerial vehicle, temporal analysis
of aerial images, assembly of a geographic database through GIS, selection and analysis of the
sustainability indicators applied to protected areas and use of descriptive statistics techniques.
The results of the research are divided into four paper: in the first one was made an analysis of
the context of the PAs located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte from spatial variables and
instruments of planning and management, in order to serve as subsidies for the planning and
management of these protected areas. In the second paper the main socio-environmental
conflicts of the APAJ were investigated. In the third paper, an adaptation of the RAPPAM
methodology was developed to analyze and measure the management effectiveness of the
study area. In the last paper was made an analysis of the sustainability of the APAJ from of
the selection of sustainability indicators. The data obtained on a state scale showed that of the
27 PAs located in the state, 12 have management board and eight have a managing plan. The
marine biome has 173,183 ha of area protected by PAs, the Atlantic forest 89,587 ha and the
Caatinga biome has 43,565 ha. The set of PAs analyzed presented some geospatial
asymmetries, which are: there is a higher concentration of PAs located on the eastern coast;
the Atlantic forest biome has approximately 25% of its protected territory, while the caatinga
biome, which occupies most of the Potiguar territory, has less than 1% of protected area to
PAs; the majority of PAs and most of the territory protected by these areas belong to the
category of sustainable use, that provides less protection to biodiversity than integral
protection PAs. Given this scenario, it is necessary to prioritise the creation of UCS in the
Caatinga biome and establish the areas of integral protection as a priority management group
for the creation of new PAs. Regarding the results at local scale, seven types of socioenvironmental conflicts were identified in the APAJ, the main one of them was the irregular
occupation of the fixed and movable dunes fields by residences and commercial properties. In
addition, its implementation did not lead to territorial reordering of the area. Regarding the
effectiveness of management, the APAJ has an average degree of effectiveness of 42.25%,
however, very close to the degree of low effectiveness. The main pressures and threats were
human occupation, tourism and recreation and collection of non-timber products. The
indicators of the RAPPAM methodology that presented the lowest values were: financial
resources, human resources, results, infrastructure and research, evaluation and monitoring.
The results of the research point to a framework of unsustainability and that APAJ does not
have a strategic planning and management that lead to the achievement of its creation goals.
In addition, the results suggest a pessimistic future scenario with possible reduction of
effectiveness and sustainability, if no measures are taken to increase financial and human
resources, strategic planning and management, implementation of the monitoring and control
instruments of the management plan. | |