Diretrizes para criação de unidades de conservação estaduais no Ceará: estudo de caso do monumento natural Gruta Casa de Pedra

Abstract

The social understanding of the need of nature preservation has increased over the years. This is due to the environmental changes that have been taking place and causing concern, with regard to how to effectively curb their losses and their consequences for the environment and society. Thus, the creation of Conservation Units (UCs) appears as a way to protect areas that are being degraded, as well as with the character of socioeconomically recognizing biological diversity. Therefore, the institution of the Conservation Units (UCs) brought advances to the management of protected areas in the country. In Ceará, the process of creating state UCs passes through the scrutiny of the Environment Secretary (SEMA) and is supported by Normative Instruction 01/2014 of the Environmental Policy and Management Council (CONPAM ), which provides guidelines for the creation of UCs . Through this and the case study of the creation of the Gruta Casa de Pedra Natural Monument, the process of creating a state UC in Ceará was presented, from the proposal request stage to the creation decree. From that angle, the motivations for the creation of the mentioned UC were demonstrated, as well as the diagnoses obtained through previous studies carried out in the area. In view of the above, it was possible to perceive the need to preserve not only the environmental, speleological, historical, archaeological and tourist patrimony, but also geodiversity and biodiversity of the area. Furthermore, the importance of social actors in this implementation process was evident.