Does Public Policy Reduce the Number of Environmental Infractions in Protected Areas? A Case Study: Serra Do Mar State Park, Brazil

Abstract

This paper analyzes the spatial distribution of environmental infractions (EIs) in the “Nucleo Caraguatatuba” (NuCar) division of the Serra do Mar State Park (PESM in Portuguese) in Brazil. This region, NuCar, of the PESM is a protected area with potential for economic and tourism development. Between 2000 and 2016, 117 environmental infractions were registered according to three sources of data: (1) Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, (2) Forestry Foundation database, and (3) DataGeo, a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) combining environmental and socioeconomic database spatial/environmental data for the state of Sao Paulo. The three most common violations were deforestation, irregular occupation, and heart of palm extraction. Geospatial analysis of the data focused on the main roads and trails and different zones defined by the Park Management Plan corresponded to these areas of increased access. As well as suggestions for increased control and surveillance of cluster areas to restrict opportunities for EIs, this paper also discusses other aspects of management that influence the number of violations in protected areas. These include open, respectful communication between residents and park management to reduce conflict and enacting the socio-environmental park program and the PESM management.