Perception of social actors as a subsidy to the environmental zoning of a coastal protected area in the Brazilian northeast

摘要

In the Coastal Wildlife Reserve of Tibau do Sul (REFAUTS), the overlapping of different activities in the same territory has been responsible for socio-environmental conflicts between social actors, and between them and the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis). The objective of this study was to analyze the perception of social actors about the REFAUTS and the possible socio-environmental conflicts resulting from the overlapping of space use, in order to subsidize a complementary proposal of Environmental Zoning that reduces possible conflicts and promotes conservation of Guiana dolphins. The perception of social actors about REFAUTS was investigated through the application of semi-open questionnaires applied in loco, in 2017 and 2018. Most of the social actors who participated in this study reported not knowing that the territory of the Dolphins bay and Madeira bay comprised a Wildlife Reserve (REFAUTS) and that they did not know that the Guiana dolphin was currently threatened with extinction. Most social actors also reported recognizing the importance of these bays for environmental conservation and the importance of the tourism for the improvement of the region's economy, and they would want to pay a tourist fee for visitation of the REFAUTS. Social actors were invited to comment on a complementary proposal of the Environmental Zoning submitted to REFAUTS bays. This proposal was based on the frequency of responses of the social actors and on the environmental characteristics of the bays. In order to reduce socio-environmental conflicts in the REFAUTS, we suggest the implementation of this complementary proposal for the Environmental Zoning, associated with a program of wide dissemination and environmental awareness for the social actors.