Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: DIOGO DA COSTA PEIXOTO

DIAGNOSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STORAGE CONSERVATION UNITS MUNICIPALITY OF VOLTA REDONDA/RJ

Conservation Units, Effectiveness, Volta Redonda, RAPPAM.

The creation of Conservation Units (CU) is one of the main tools used in Brazilian environmental policy, aiming not only to preserve natural resources and biodiversity, but also to promote recreational, leisure and scientific research activities. However, it is widely recognized that the mere creation of a UC does not ensure the desired protection; It is essential that its implementation is effective. The phenomenon of paper UCs, which are units created but not implemented, only existing as a legal act, exemplifies this gap. This research seeks to address the creation and implementation of the six UCs present in the Rio de Janeiro municipality of Volta Redonda, investigating the factors that lead to the current scenario of UCs. In addition to the impacts arising from climate change, the municipality of Volta Redonda is also plagued by factors such as the disorderly occupation along the Paraíba do Sul riverbed and pollution from the activities of the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN). The creation and full effectiveness of the municipality's UCs contribute to mitigating the effects arising from this situation. In order to assess the effectiveness of UCs, the research adopts the Rapid Assessment and Prioritization of Conservation Units Management (RAPPAM) methodology, created in 2003 by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The RAPPAM Methodology assesses the effectiveness of a protected area taking into account natural, social, economic and governance aspects. Through the Rapid Assessment Questionnaire, applied to managers, members of the Advisory Board and other agents involved in the management of a UC, data regarding the conditions, pressures and threats of the UC are collected. The research is expected to contribute to the debate on improving the creation, implementation and management processes of UCs, in addition to providing information to managers regarding the situation of the units.