Gestão de áreas cársticas no estado do Tocantins: uma análise a partir das áreas com grandes empreendimentos

Abstract

The karst environment is considered a shelter for the socio-biodiversity, with the presence of fauna elements and of the flora almost singular. The ecological diversity of this environment includes an important mineral richness from an economic standpoint, so the exploitation of these areas has grown significantly. This environment also has a great cultural richness, because it houses historical elements of human life, through the rock record in its interior and of significant religious importance. It is important to stress that the caveman environment is very fragile and susceptible to negative environmental impacts. Even so, karstic areas are targets for deploying highly impactful enterprises that may bring irreversible consequences to this ecosystem. The enterprises in karstic areas almost always have as main objective the exploration of the mineral components present in the carbonate rocks, but may involve the exploitation of other types of natural resources. In addition, some enterprises are implemented with the objective of spatial use: such as the construction of highways, railways and hydroelectrics. In this way, the object of this study is the analysis of the implementation of the large enterprises in karstic areas in Tocantins, considering the environmental management tools of these areas. It is based on a systemic and interdisciplinary methodology through the analysis of three enterprises in the three phases of environmental licensing implemented in karstic areas. The research approach was established in accordance with the analysis of the stakeholders that make up the management of these areas: public sector, productive sector and civil society. The results of the research show that despite the various tools of management of the karstic areas to establish a systemic action, the constant changes of these lead to the action of the organs and institutions in a fragmented way. It was also found that social participation, through the action of the protective bodies, has been punctual and restricted to academic-scientific researches.