ATIVIDADE TURÍSTICA E EDUCAÇÃO AMBIENTAL: PROPOSTAS PARA A RESOLUÇÃO DOS CONFLITOS FUNDIÁRIOS NO PARQUE NACIONAL DO ITATIAIA

Abstract

This paper presents a brief background on theItatiaia National Park, by identifying real state conflictsarisen from the public/private deadlock of the territorialexpansion from 11,943 ha to 30,000 ha. This wasestablished by the Decree no. 87,586/1982 who incorporatedhuman groups and their productive activities – agricultureand cattle raising in the high section, and hotel managementand season residences in the low one. Qualitativemethodology through participating observation, it analysesthe social and environmental vulnerabilities resulting fromthat expansion process, which aiming to seek solutions forthe deadlocks, generated possibilities for the participativemanagement of that Conservation Unit, as well as theimplementation of sustainable productive strategies, such astourist practices related to Environmental Educationactivities. The study presents analyses from other authors onthe shared use of natural resources and the participativemanagement of nature conservation units. Moreover, itdiscusses the duality between development andenvironmental protection.Keywords - Conservation Unit, environmental educationparticipative management and tourism.