Ecotourism as a tool for Conservation Units creation in the State of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

Abstract

Ecotourism is an important component to promote sustainability and nature conservation. Brazilian Conservation Units have great potential to receive ecotourism activities. However, in Brazil, the attention given by governments and environmental policies to this aspect of tourism - which is less impacting than mass tourism - is still very low. In this sense, the present research aims to analyze the importance of the ecotourism for Conservation Units creation and management in Rio de Janeiro State. For this, it was analyzed the relevance given to ecotourism and aspects of this activity that involve local communities - community based tourism - and are an alternative to mass tourism - adventure tourism. The methodologies used for the Conservation Units creation by the federal government through the Chico Mendes Institute of Biodiversity were analyzed: “Systematic Conservation Planning” and the “Regional Conservation International Biodiversity Workshops Program”. In addition, the methodologies used by the State Environmental Institute of Rio de Janeiro (INEA) were also analyzed. It was evident that the National and State methodologies use, as a matter of priority, biological parameters to define Conservation Units.  They also adopt the biomes scale as a basis for defining areas to be conserved, implying greater generalization of conflicts; and attribute low importance to the development of ecotourism in this areas in Rio de Janeiro State. It is concluded that the absence of public power incentive to low-impact tourism activities is a risk to nature conservation and to traditional populations.