Creation of the Pico do Marumbi State Park: Historical trajectory, involved actors, and territorial conflicts (Paraná, Brazil)

Abstract

This article analyzes the creation process of the Pico do Marumbi State Park (PEPM), between the 1940s and 1990s, with emphasis on environmental struggles, legal processes, conflicts, and alliances among different political and social actors, which converged in the official establishment of the park in 1990 through State Decree nº 7,300. The protected area, covering 2,342 hectares, is located in the Paraná section of the Serra do Mar mountain range and includes the municipalities of Morretes, Piraquara, and Quatro Barras, within the Marumbi Area of Special Tourist Interest. The research is grounded in Claude Raffestin's relational theory, which supports the interpretation of power relations and strategic interactions among subjects with distinct interests. Methodologically, this is an applied, exploratory, and documentary study with a qualitative approach. Data collection was based on document analysis, conducted in two stages: collection and processing of historical documents, followed by interpretation using content analysis techniques. The results highlight three main dimensions: the legal and administrative processes surrounding the park’s creation; the roles played by social, political, and environmental actors; and the conflicts between environmental preservation and economic interests along the coast of Paraná. It is concluded that the creation of PEPM resulted from a complex articulation of forces, in which environmental discourses gained strength amid territorial disputes.