Geodiversidade e a geoconservação no Parque Nacional da Chapada das Mesas no município de Carolina, Maranhão, Brasil

Abstract

The present work aims to show the importance of geoecological trails in Portal da Chapada (Carolina municipality, Maranhão). These routes have been important in awakening visitors to knowledge about some geological, geographic and biological aspects of the Chapada das Mesas National Park. The methodology used in this study consisted of: (1) bibliographic survey; (2) field works; (3) assessment of its vulnerability with environmental characteristics and impacts of visitation activities. Some trails of Geological Heritage interest have been explored for financial and educational purposes. This region has attracted audiences from municipalities in the south of Maranhão and the north of the state of Tocantins, as well as from other places in Brazil and even abroad. When evaluating the access trails to the Portal, it is possible to see the risk of degradation and the potential educational and tourist uses of the area, which can be lost if not used correctly. In some trails have been used as areas for field work by primary and secondary schools, as well as universities, thus demonstrating the educational potential of the area. In this way, the Park can be considered as a place of geological and geomorphological interest due to its diversity and thus take as a general idea the practice of conservation for conscious tourism, which is carried out in such a way for geoconservation, as well as in bioconservation. what happens with ecotourism. Then, geoecological trails (trails with components of the Geological and Biological Heritage) are part of an area of scientific interest, which leads us to a path within environmental protection areas that allow interaction with this ecosystem, in addition to encouraging the public to reflect on the importance of environmental conservation.