Ecosociosystem Landscape of the Sustainable Development Reserve of Quilombos de Barra do Turvo, São Paulo

Abstract

In the ecosociosystem landscape, traditional practices and customs are employed by quilombola communities in the use and manage of the land, constituting essential characteristics for the conservation of local sociobiodiversity. Thus, the objective of this study is to analyze the landscape used and managed by quilombola communities in the Sustainable Development Reserve of Quilombos de Barra do Turvo in São Paulo, discussing its implications for its conservation status. Geotechnological tools were used to generate maps and quantifiable data on vegetation cover and land use for the years 1984 and 2020. as well as the Anthropogenic Transformation Index to identify the conservation status of the landscape. In the Reserve, as well as in quilombola communities, anthropogenic uses predominated, specifically agriculture and livestock farming. In terms of vegetation cover, the extent of the Dense Montane Ombrophilous Forest showed a reduction in both investigated areas. Water within the Reserve showed an increase in area, while there was no spatial change in the communities. The conservation status of the landscape in the Reserve and quilombola communities, on both investigated dates, was found to be mildly degraded. It was concluded that there is a need for the development of management plans that respect the way of life of quilombola communities and the maintenance of aquatic and terrestrial fauna and flora, contributing to the conservation of the local landscape.