ENVIRONMENTAL PERCEPTION AS INFORMATION TOOLS FOR IMPACT STUDIES AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT: THE CASE OF RESTINGAS DE BERTIOGA STATE PARK, SP, BRAZIL

Percepção ambiental como ferramenta de informação para estudos de impacto e gerenciamento costeiro: O caso do Parque Estadual das Restingas de Bertioga, SP, Brasil

Abstract

The Restingas de Bertioga State Park (RBSP) boasts remarkable diversity, necessitating the identification and analysis of numerous unique interactions, such as those between restinga, mangrove, and estuarine ecosystems. The Itaguaré River Estuary (IRE) and its surrounding vegetation, all encompassed within the RBSP, were the focal points of this study. This area serves as an ecological corridor, buffering the impact of marine energy and providing refuge for various flora and fauna species. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between humans and the environment in this region by gathering primary data on the IRE and the local population's perception. Primary data were collected through interviews with individuals in the Itaguaré region, focusing on their environmental awareness. Most respondents demonstrated a lack of awareness regarding estuary definition, associating the RBSP with a protected area. The lack of awareness, combined with escalating real estate development in the area, raises concerns about potential scenarios that could disrupt the ecosystem balance in the region, particularly impacting the estuary’s mixing process.

Keywords: coastal zone, conservation, estuary, sustainability.