2004 UC Proceedings Abstract
 GIS for a Greener Brazil: Automated Delineation of Natural Preserves Track: Ecology and Conservation Author(s): Carlos Ribeiro, Vicente Soares This paper shows how GIS is bridging the gap between the theory and practice of environmental preservation in Brazil. As of May 13, 2002, the Brazilian Forest Code has set new guidelines for the establishment of natural preserves on hilltops, along ridgelines and riparian zones, and upland catchments, relying on key geographic features of watersheds. The new regulations of forest practice deter any commercial landuse on preserves, imposing severe restrictions on land availability for agricultural and cattle raising uses. These possibilities unavoidably undermine the necessary confidence of landowners to comply with these regulations, and strategies for immediate compensation of income losses must be carefully sought. The first step for doing this is to accurately map and quantify potential landuse conflicts. The moment is propitious for using cutting-edge GIS technologies and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission imagery to automatically delineated the natural preserves according to the Brazilian Forest Code, in a continental scale. Carlos Ribeiro Universidade Federal de Viçosa Departamento de Engenharia Florestal Edifício José Reinaldo de Araújo Viçosa 36571-000 BR Phone: +55-31-3899-1186 Fax: +55-31-38992478 E-mail: cribeiro@ufv.br Vicente Soares Federal University of Vicosa Department of Forest Engineering Departamento de Engenharia Florestal Universidade Federal de Viçosa Vicosa , Minas Gerais 36571-000 BR Phone: +55-31-3899-122 Fax: +55-31-3899-247 E-mail: vicente@ufv.br |
|||||
