Impact of volunteering in state Protect Areas of Minas Gerais (Brazil)

Abstract

Protected areas are natural spaces delimited and established by the government, with relevant environmental characteristics, aiming at environmental conservation. The financial and human resources, in addition to the bureaucracy in the management of these areas, make it difficult for the ecological and social functions of these ecosystems. Voluntary work in these units can, therefore, favor the democratization of the management of these areas, involving the population in the natural resources conservation consciously and spontaneously. This study aimed to evaluate the interface of the volunteering program implementation in protected areas of Minas Gerais State based on the profile and satisfaction analysis of the volunteers. This study was carried out through qualitative-descriptive research, with interpretation and description of the observed data. It was observed that the Rio Doce State Park and the Mata do Limoeiro State Park were the ones that stood out with the highest number of subscribed volunteers, followed by Ibitipoca State Park. The results showed the different profiles of the volunteers who effectively participated in the programs, mostly formed by young people, especially university students and professionals in the areas of environmental or social sciences. It was also observed that the community participation around the parksis still very low. Thus, it is possible to infer that volunteering programs in protected areas have positive impacts in the environmental, social and economic dimensions for both protected areas and the surrounding communities. In addition, these programs can promote the society insertion in the management of theareas, as well as their approach to the environment and with local communities, thus contributing to the sustainable development of these areas.