Governance and management practices for mitigating pressures and threats in urban protected areas

Author(s)

Rafaela Aguilar Sansão

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH)
• Defense date: 2017-03-20

Examining board members

Marcelo Pereira de Souza; Evandro Mateus Moretto; Angela Pellin; Victor Eduardo Lima Ranieri

• Advisor: Marcelo Pereira de Souza

Abstract

Urban protected areas (PAs) have been under pressure and threatened by anthropic activities, resulting in new management and governance challenges.Thus, we aimed to analyze the procedures used to mitigate the main pressures and threats in urban PAs and to identify the main variables that interfere with the achievement of their objectives. Therefore, we did semi-structured interviews with the management staff of national (State Parks Jaraguá and Cantareira and Ecological Stations of Ribeirão Preto and Assis) and international urban PAs (Natura 2000 Sites Lendspitz-Maiernigg, Sonian Forest and National Park Zuid-Kennemerland). We evaluated, together with their staff, the main pressures and threats faced by the PAs, as well as we analyzed the conservation actions they adopted. The interviews were directed by questions adapted from the Rapid Assessment and Prioritization of Protected Area Management (RAPPAM) Methodology, and to analyze the data we used the Content Analysis technique. In addition to the interviews, we analyzed the guidelines for best practices proposed by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), an internationally recognized institution for proposing relevant recommendations to global protected areas. The results indicate a series of pressures and threats common to the seven PAs (e.g. urban development and establishment of roads and highways), as well as pressures and threats found only in the national PAs (e.g. forest fires and illegal occupations) and in the international PAs (e.g. transmission of diseases between wild animals). It was also noted that all case studies adopted six types of conservation actions, such as: protection (e.g. surveillance and monitoring); management (e.g. control of invasive alien species); operationalization (e.g. articulation with different institutions); integration (e.g. environmental awareness); public use (e.g. promotion of tourism and recreational activities of low environmental impact); and knowledge (e.g. promotion of scientific research). The main variables that undermine the fulfillment of urban PAs objectives are insufficient human and financial resources, low transparency and social participation in decision-making processes. We observed that IUCN proposes five principles for good governance (i.e. legitimacy and voice, direction, performance, accountability, equity and rights) and various practices for appropriate management (e.g. promote a dynamic, active and planned management, following rational, adaptive and participative conceptions). Thus, we concluded that those responsible for urban PAs should promote the empowerment of their councils, so that they function properly as discussion forums, as well as must integrate these areas with their territories, through specific legislation. The adoption of appropriate, feasible, dynamic and participatory governance and management practices in urban PAs are fundamental to the maintenance of healthy ecosystems, which form the backbone of a more sustainable future. In addition, to achieve the proposals discussed, it is essential that government authorities incorporate into their legislation the definition of urban PAs, recognizing their importance and ensuring that these areas receive greater attention (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/15086-0 - Analysis of socio-environmental conflicts and land use in protected áreas
• Grantee: Rafaela Aguilar Sansão
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master