Analise Geoecologica do Parque Estadual do Cocó no bairro Cocó, Fortaleza – CE

Abstract

The Cocó State Park, located in one of the most densely urbanized regions of Fortaleza, Brazil, constitutes one of the city’s main ecological remnants, sheltering ecosystems of high environmental and social importance. In recent decades, the intensification of urbanization, combined with the absence of effective monitoring and management strategies, has accentuated environmental degradation processes both within the conservation unit and in its buffer zone. In this context, the objective of this research was to conduct a geoecological analysis of the Cocó State Park, focusing on the section located in the Cocó neighborhood, aiming at the development of an integrated environmental diagnosis and the proposal of technical guidelines to support planning and continuous monitoring of the area. The investigation was based on the Landscape Geoecology approach proposed by Rodriguez and Silva (2018), structured in four phases: (i) organization and inventory, (ii) analysis, (iii) diagnosis, and (iv) proposition. The techniques applied included bibliographic review, documentary analysis, thematic mapping through Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and fieldwork with photographic records and aerial images obtained by drone. The results identified distinct geoecological units conditioned by geological, geomorphological, and pedological elements, which directly influence hydrography, vegetation, and urban occupation. The diagnosis revealed problems such as habitat fragmentation, water pollution, irregular settlements, and alterations in hydrological dynamics, but also highlighted potentialities associated with ecological connectivity, the presence of well-preserved native vegetation, and the provision of essential ecosystem services for the city. The proposed guidelines, grounded in the environmental zoning developed, are configured as applicable instruments to strengthen the Park Management Plan, contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of the unit. It is concluded that the adopted geoecological approach proved effective in integrating physical, biotic, and socioeconomic data, offering scientific and technical contributions that are replicable in other similar contexts. However, the preservation of Cocó State Park depends on an integrated, participatory, and adaptive management capable of reconciling the protection of natural resources with the socioeconomic demands of the urban space.