ECONOMIC EXPANSION AND ECOLOGICAL PRESERVATION: THE TABULEIRO MUNICIPAL PARK DEBATE IN MATINHOS, BRAZIL

Abstract

This study aims to highlight the Havan department store's attempt to establish one of its branches within the Parque Municipal do Tabuleiro, located in the city of Matinhos, Paraná, Brazil. This area represents a critical hotspot of the Atlantic forest amidst an urban landscape, harboring species on the brink of extinction, including the caixeta tree. This endeavor sparked controversy not only due to the proposal itself but also because of the actions taken by the local executive and legislative authorities. They orchestrated extraordinary sessions, disregarding legal deadlines, to alter the city master plan. Their objective was to reclassify the area, shifting its status from an environmental conservation unit to a zone open for commercial exploitation. This maneuver garnered widespread attention from the media and the Public Prosecutor's Office, leading to the latter's recommendation to halt the process, warning of potential administrative misconduct by the executive branch.