O geopatrimônio da Amazônia Oriental : Fósseis de Salinópolis, Pará, Brasil.

Abstract

Geoheritage is an extension of geodiversity that comprises elements of geological nature with heritage values, whether educational, scientific or cultural ones. Seeking their preservation, geoconservation comes up with discussions that aim at the protection, management and dissemination of geological heritage in its various forms. When it comes to natural heritage, we also consider the protection of ecosystems and socio-environmental dynamics. In this research, we analyze the geoconservation of the paleontological heritage of the municipality of Salinópolis, state of Pará, Brazil. The goal was to identify and propose subsidies for the conservation of the paleontological geoheritage of Salinópolis, considering the connections between geosciences and society. For this, we carried out a survey of scientific data on the fossils and paleontological sites of the city as well as interviews with representatives of Salinópolis, to check on the demands of public management. We also carried out a quantitative assessment of the paleontological site at Atalaia Beach, aiming its future recognition in the national inventories. It was possible to observe that there is an extensive scientific record of the salinopolitan geoheritage, which has been studied since the 19th century. However, this knowledge is restricted to the academic community, since city managers are unaware of the topic, in addition to the lack of collaboration between research institutions and the city hall. Moreover, the city’s sites are not mentioned in environmental conservation policies, precisely because they do not have formal recognition, although the site has high educational and tourist value in our assessment. Because of the importance of society’s role in the construction of heritage perceptions, it is necessary to change the perspective of science on geoheritage, in order to approach society in a democratic way, building sustainable relationships among science, population and the environment.