Environmental damages in the Atlantic Forest Biome - a case study
Melissa Bergmann, Biodiversity Department, Rio Grande do Sul State (BR)
Interaction between humans and their environment for the remaining ecological niches lead to over-exploitation of natural resources, which reflects failures in the true value of environmental system. Two of the main environmental damage caused by human over-exploitation are deforestation and forest degradation. In this work, we identify the main impacts, drivers, and projects restoration for Atlantic Forest in Northwest Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The main objective was to analyze the quantity, distribution and causes of the environmental crimes in the last fourteen years. The study was carried out in the Forestry Agency of Santa Rosa, Biodiversity Department, Rio Grande do Sul State. The main environmental damage found were deforestation outside permanent preservation area (20%) and those related to Permanent Preservation Area (37%). Environmental crimes in these areas encompass two categories: removing native and exotic vegetation (17%), and impediment of natural regeneration (20%). Degraded fragment size exhibited no significant differences among the five municipalities with major number of environmental crimes processes (F = 0,551; p = 0,701). This means that geographical area of damage is similar for different municipalities. Among processes that had restoration project there was relationship between degraded fragment size and restored area (r = 0,207; p < 0,0001). Furthermore, degraded fragment size was related to number of seedlings planted (r = 0,462; p < 0,001). Despite vegetation and permanent preservation areas perform ecological functions to the stability and harmony of natural ecosystems, environmental crimes are often carried out in these areas. Therefore, an efficient enforcement by forest authorities together with projects of environmental awareness can minimize and prevent these harmful effects on the environment. Thus, Atlantic Forest fragments need be recognized and preserved as an ecosystem with a unique ecological function by the population and public administration.