Percepção dos atores locais como instrumento para o desenvolvimento territorial sustentável na área de proteção ambiental de Guaraqueçaba, Paraná, Brasil

Abstract

Located on the largest continuous remnant of the Atlantic Forest left over in Brazil, the Guaraqueçaba Environmental Protection Area (APA), Paraná, houses the characteristic biodiversity of this biome and is also home to hundreds of people and their communities. The Conservation Units (Ucs) of the region were created in order to ensure the conservation of nature and the benefits generated by it; However, the territorial restrictions related to the Pas, the low participatory demarcations, the lack of knowledge about the preservation objectives and the expectation of local development generate conflicts that favor the emergence of antagonistic interests for the region. Aiming to investigate the public perception of 100 young residents of the territory about these issues, this study promoted participatory actions based on social technologies and the probing of the formation of a network of actors. The SWOT methodology and the social and environmental mapping revealed that the studied public values the conserved nature as a source of wealth and development, in order to protect the local way of life and culture. It was observed that the opportunity to share knowledge, the public use of conservation units and the stimulation of perception and appreciation of nature, culture and territory, provide dialogue and the identification of opportunities for sustainable territorial development.