Avaliação do contexto e da efetividade da gestão da área de proteção ambiental Piquiri-Una

Abstract

The Environmental Protection Areas consist of Conservation Units belonging to the category of Sustainable Use, endowed with biotic, abiotic and cultural attributes, with a certain degree of human occupation, that aim to protect biological diversity, discipline the occupation process and ensure the sustainable use of its natural resources. Among them is the Piquiri-Una Environmental Protection Area, the second largest Land Conservation Unit in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, and which holds important rivers and forest fragments in the rural Potiguar region. Coexisting with these riches, the Unit carries out several impacting activities, such as the cultivation of sugarcane, livestock, illegal hunting, deforestation, burning, silting and contamination of rivers, the existence of dumps, among others that threaten biodiversity and sustainability. In view of this reality, this research had the objective of evaluating the context and level of effectiveness of the management of the Piquiri-Una Environmental Protection Area, using the method of Rapid Assessment and Prioritization of Protected Areas Management, from 2013 to 2017, in order to evaluate its context and the effectiveness of its management. The research was based on a case study, being characterized as exploratory, starting from bibliographical research in books, articles, theses, dissertations and documentary consultations in minutes of the meetings of the Management Council and in the current environmental legislation. The results showed illegal hunting, waste disposal, resource use by resident populations and pasture as the greatest pressures and threats in the APA, which was also of great biological and socioeconomic importance measured at a rate of 78.8 % each, as well as an average vulnerability of 66.67%. For the management effectiveness, a level of 56.81% was found, considered as average, with the objectives (81.6%) and the decision-making processes (86.67%) considered as management's strengths. Regarding its weaknesses, APA had the most fragile management element with a score of 23.2% in its infrastructure, which deserves greater attention, with emphasis also on human resources (40%), research, evaluation and monitoring (40.67%), financial resources (44%) and legal support (44.8%), which obtained average scores, but were considered alarming because they jeopardized the achievement of the APA objectives. It is concluded that due to the environmental and social importance of this PA, it is expected that management will be applied more effectively for the coming years in order to overcome its shortcomings and the main existing threats minimized.