Parque Estadual do Utinga (PA): uma gestão ambiental participativa

Abstract

This paper analyzes the current management of State Park Utinga (PEUt), in order to understand the possibilities and limits of participatory management of natural resources. It is known that the preservation of PEUt is of fundamental importance for Belenenses, as the “Água Preta” and “Bolonha” lakes are among the springs that supply the metropolitan area of Belém. The PEUt is being threatened by the disorderly process of urbanization that the city has suffering, which has inflicted irregular occupations in the area surrounding the park, as well as within. This process has required the awareness of all actors involved in environmental issues, namely the administration of PEUt, local community, non- governmental organizations (NGOs), Higher Education Institutions (HEI), notably the Center for the Environment ( NUMA), Federal University of Pará (UFPA). To minimize conflicts of interest, the current administration PEUt has sought to involve all segments, adopting what he calls a "participatory management" through the effective operation of the Management Council in decision-making. To this end, we adopted the following practices methodological literature and documents, both in the media, physical and virtual, participation in meetings of the Management Council, the period of field research, visiting the spot areas of PEUt, and interviews with local leaders. At the end of the study, it was felt that it was too recent a real community participation in managing the park, so that it can be said about its limits and possibilities. However, the state has sought to improve its performance in the control area PEUt, taking the first steps towards an effective community participation in the destiny of the place where its people produce and reproduce life.