Construindo a utopia: análise histórica da política de conservação biológica sob a ótica do sistema socioecológico do arquipélago de Galápagos, Equador

Abstract

The Galapagos archipelago is well known for its endemic biodiversity and for inspiring Charles Darwin in his theory of evolution. After 1535, with its accidental discovery, a series of historical events led to the reduction of turtle populations and the introduction of exotic species. With the creation of the Charles Darwin Station, a significant international effort on biodiversity conservation has attracted a large influx of tourism. Concomitant with the establishment of the station, the National Park Management Plan promoted shared responsibility for the management of protected areas, which integrates terrestrial and marine protected areas, and the archipelago was considered as a socio-ecological system, with its nature unique and special threat from recent global changes. Thus, this study aims to understand the relationships between anthropic pressures and the resilience of natural systems in the archipelago. The methodology is based on the analysis of Environmental Management on the Island of São Cristóvão with secondary information taken from the sessions of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to build the adaptive cycle of Holling and in interviews with residents for the analysis of community perceptions. The recommendations suggested by UNESCO mainly involve problems such as tourism, agriculture, migration, introduced species, coordination between institutions. The perception study was conducted between June and August 2017 using questionnaires, interviews with 260 residents, and direct observation. The results showed UNESCO as an international body responsible for environmental management that has been emphasizing the problems presented in the Archipelago. On the other hand, the Ecuadorian government tries to balance and overcome adversity. UNESCO points out the need for residents to know better what it is to live in a Natural Heritage and what they must do to conserve that heritage. The primary identified impacts were: increased tourism (visits), population increase (migration); species introduced; lack of an effective system of solid waste management and wastewater management; lack of coordinated institutional co-operation; implementation of transdisciplinary research. In this last aspect, it implies that the management approach of ecosystems and natural resources should not focus on the components of the system, but on their relationships, interactions and feedbacks. In this study, we argue that the long-term sustainability of the archipelago depends on the rules for the exploration and conservation of natural resources. São Cristovão Island presents men (53.46%) and women (46.54%) residing mainly in Porto Baquerizo (71.92%); the majority (60%) from Galapagos. The perception analysis showed a tendency towards positive responses about environmental management, but they indicated some impacts on the way of life of the population, primarily related to the increase of tourism, introduced species and the reduction of the mine due to the extraction of sand, gravel, and stone to make the buildings. Given this scenario, local actors outline a system with interrelated but conflicting social, environmental and economic nuances, requiring more efficient management. Thus, it is perceived that the socio-ecological system of Galapagos undergoes a dynamic process that recognizes the interactions between natural system and social system, in which UNESCO directs biodiversity conservation strategies to the government including criteria of ecosystem management and seeks to reduce the pressure the solution to these vital problems is the implementation of a long-term environmental conservation management policy that can reduce social impacts.