Percepções históricas e socioambientais: Reserva Extrativista Prainha do Canto Verde

Abstract

Perception is the way people interact with and interpret the environment in which they live, and can help propose measures that foster environmental citizenship. In Conservation Units (UCs), studies with this focus can be great allies in the planning and implementation of conservation strategies, especially in UCs for sustainable use, where human beings are active subjects in the process. This study aims to analyze the perception of residents of the Prainha do Canto Verde Extractive Reserve (RESEX), how they perceive the landscape and interact with the natural environment, based on the local historical and socio-environmental context. To this end, a semi structured questionnaire was developed, with four axes: socioeconomic profile, activities developed, perception of the UC and environmental perception, with 40 qualitative and quantitative questions. One hundred residents aged 18 and over were randomly located on all streets in the community. The results indicated that the community is low-income (50%), receiving assistance from income transfer programs, and lacking basic services, which puts environmental sustainability at risk. We also found that a better understanding of the Conservation Unit is related to people who have completed basic education (75%) and those who participate in social movements (60%). However, part of the community does not seem to understand what the RESEX is about, and residents are frustrated with the lack of effective implementation of the Conservation Unit in protecting the territory and coastal resources, which highlights the distance from the management of the unit. The residents' perception of the surrounding landscape was very detailed and based on traditional knowledge accumulated over generations. The main problems cited by the interviewees were land speculation (93%) and predatory fishing (96%), which expresses the existence of territorial conflicts. In addition, we observed the existence of spatial conflicts due to the incorrect disposal of waste on beaches, dunes, and subsurface waters. There are also internal conflicts due to the dispute between different forms of use of natural resources. The community needs to be better assisted by the government to promote social dignity by offering basic services and encouraging income diversification through sustainable activities, such as crafts and community-based tourism. It is also crucial for the management of the UC to work closely with the community to plan environmental education actions and combat local problems, in order to ensure participatory management and achieve conservation goals.