Wildlife refuge, ecotourism and juridical implications: experience in the Belem’s Metropolitan Region (PA, Brazil)

Abstract

This article refers to the possible juridical implications promoted by the creation of a Conservation Unit, precisely a Wildlife Refuge, located in a urban area of the Metropolitan Region of Belém, in the state of Pará (Brazil); moreover, the insertion of Ecotourism activities. The juridical context implied in the question refers to what is declared by the denominated National System of Conservation Unities that determines the categories of handling and their use. In this case, the category of Integral Protection Unit does not allow the direct use of natural resources by traditional or non-traditional populations residing within these legally protected territorial spaces. At the present juncture, the sustainability of the biosocioculturals resources is planned based on the adoption of ecotourism so far as strategic component of administration and public governance, and for environmental conservation. However, the ecotourism market segment while economic activity, can reproduce historical and antagonistic conflicts experienced by Amazonian populations, as for instance the marginal and exclusionary development of the local communities. This fact provides obstacles of several orders to the planning, administration and management of the public institutions destined to manage these areas. From the juridical point of view, the legal framework has been based on immobility in relation to the problems caused by the human presence in these spaces. For the execution of the present study, we started with bibliographical and documentary research, also using direct observation through participation in discussion forums organized by instances of governance captained by the government. As a result, there is a preliminary critical analysis, due to the recent creation and organization of this Conservation Unit, based on the profusion of Environmental Law norms that hamper resolutions that are more flexible. Given these points, studies are needed to deepen the issue in order to emerge solutions that could be beneficial for the maintenance of biosociodiversity, mainly in the case of Amazonian areas and populations.