Multitemporal analysis of the occupancy of Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs)

a case study on urban stream sources in the municipality of Sananduva/RS

Abstract

The proximity between rapid urbanization, real estate speculation, and inefficiency in public policies regarding soil usage and occupancy allows for degradation of areas that should be under environmental protection. Among the social and environmental issues, it stands out the impact related to population occupancy and urban growth towards inadequate areas, such as Permanent Preservation Areas, or PPA (Áreas de Preservação Permanente, APP). In this context, we propose an occupancy history analysis (between 2002 and 2018) of PPA in stream sources located in the urban area of Sananduva/RS. To that end, we conducted a study on environmental legislation, bibliography and scientific papers regarding the subject, along with interpretation of Google Earth images. Despite the creation of an entire legal conjecture aimed at reducing inadequate occupancy, the municipality still contains permanent preservation areas that remain extremely vulnerable. Although institutionalized by law, preservation and maintenance of these areas face several obstacles for reaching proper execution, mainly due to lack of environmental and territorial ordering. The legal apparatus aimed at regulation of soil occupancy and usage remains very lacking in regards to protection of environmental areas, specially for pointing out consistent and effective measures to be taken. In that sense, we suggest some measures aiming to contribute to the environmental planning of the permanent preservation areas in the municipality, such as the need for a participative planning, both local and regional, that discuss strategies for preservation of stream sources; seeking implementation of instruments for environment inspection and education; promoting recovering/restauration of PPA’s, by restoring the native vegetation and decreasing exposed soil areas, while enforcing the current environmental laws.