Management of Municipal Watersheds in Mountain Regions (Prague, 05/09/17)

LAND DEGRADATION IN MOUNTAIN AREAS OF SÃO PAULO ,

Antonio Jose Teixeira Guerra, Leonardo dos Santos Pereira, Aline Muniz Rodrigues, Maria do Carmo Oliveira Jorge and Michael A. Fullen

Federal University of , Brazil The University of Wolverhampton, UK

E-mail: [email protected] Tropic of Capricorn Tropic of Capricorn Square

Ubatuba Municipality:

Population: 85,399.

Area: 720 km2 (80% area inside the State Park). Climate: average annual rainfall ~3,000 mm.

Southern Geology of the study area

Diabase dike Geomorphology of the study area

Escarpas

Morro

Planície

Mangrove swamps The Atlantic Rainforest: ‘Mata Atlântica’ Land degradation and environmental impacts on the landscape

Marine Housing activities pressure

Lagoinha Beach in 1950: fishermen district

Environmental New socio- Tourism economic impacts conditions

Quarrying Disorganized urban growth

Dam on Renata waterfall: Lagoinha Beach (2016) (high seasonal Upper middle-class condominiums water demand) Tourism in the area The major source of income

Praia Grande-Ubatuba (SP). January 2016

Tourism depends on the high season Current successful initiatives Birdwatching The natural aesthetic landscape (biodiversity and visits to traditional caiçara farms, geodiversity) and cultural heritage of the traditional typical lunch and trails in the forest Communities (caicaras, quilombolas and indigenous) Biodiversity are little exploited

Ubatuba has 80% of it's area preserved; it belongs to a state park (Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar). So the Atlantic Rainforest is Geotourism very accessible and tourism is promoted by local government. The register of the species new possibilities for the local economy of birds are >510. Brazil has ~1,700 registered bird species. Thus, Ubatuba is a ‘birdwatcher’s Geoconservation paradise’! Geotourism Sítio Recanto da Paz Trail (Ginger agro-industry)

Photos: Maria Jorge, Roberto Oliveira. Photos: Maria Jorge Sítio Lama Mole Trail Geotourism (Soft (Soft clay) (a typical(a small farm) Geotourism Quilombo Trail (Beaches, rocky coast and archaeological remains)

Photos: Maria Jorge, Emilio Campi. Geotourism Sete Praias Trail (Beaches, rocky coast) Geotourism Agua Branca Trail (waterfalls)

Photos: Maria Jorge.  Most geotouristic sites (geomorphological and geological) are situated along the trails.

 Lack of survey of soil degradation along the trails. Different levels of soil degradation along the trails Soil sample collection

(Soil samples from 0-10 cm depth) Physical, chemical and mineralogical analysis

Porosity

Bulk density Soil analysis at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro pH (UFRJ).

Organic carbon Textural analysis conducted at both Texture UFRJ and the University of Wolverhampton (UoW). XRF/XRD XRF and XRD conducted at UoW. Trail characteristics

Rill erosion Sedimentation Step formation

Trail width and width of the trampled zone

Exposure of roots Soil Bulk density (g/cm³) 2,25

1,8

1,35

0,9

0,45

0, TR1 TR2 TR3 TR5 TR6 TR4 TR7 TR8 TR9 TR10 TR11 TR12 TR13 TR14 TR15 TR16 TR17 TR18 TR19 Sitio Recanto Sitio Lama Sete Praias trail Agua Branca trail Quilombo trail da Paz trail Lama trail Média (g/cm³)

Soil sample TA7 and TR7 Sete Praias trail

Soil sample TA1 Sitio Recanto da Paz trail Soil Porosity (%) 75,

60,

45,

30,

15,

TR1 TR5 TR6 TR7 TR8 TR9 TR10 TR11 TR12 TR13 TR14 TR15 TR16 TR17 TR18 TR19 0, TR2 TR3 TR4 TA1 TA2 TA3 TA4 TA5 TA6 TA7 TA8 TA9 TA10 TA11 TA12 TA13 TA14 TA15 TA16 TA17 TA18 TA19 Sitio Recanto Sitio Lama Sete Praias trail Agua Branca trail Quilombo trail da Paz trail Mole trail

Soil sample TR5 Soil sample TR7 Soil sample TA10 18 Sitio Lama Mole trail Sete Praias trail Agua Branca trail Soil pH Média 7,5

6,

4,5

3,

1,5

0, TR1 TR2 TR3 TR4 TR5 TR6 TR7 TR8 TR9 TR10 TR11 TR12 TR13 TR14 TR15 TR16 TR17 TR18 TR19

Sitio Recanto Sitio lama Sete Praias trail Agua Branca trail Quilombo trail da Paz trail Mole trail

High humidity

High Slope angle Dense vegetation canopy Leaching processes 19 Soil Texture 70,

52,5

35,

17,5

0, TR1 TR2 TR3 TR4 TR5 TR6 TR7 TR8 TR9 TR10 TR11 TR12 TR13 TR14 TR15 TR16 TR17 TR18 TR19

Trail Sitio Trail Sitio Trail Sete Praias Trail Agua Branca Trail do Quilombo Recanto da Paz Lama Mole Coarse sand Fine sand Clay Silt

Soil sample TA14 Education and Outreach activities: Sítio Recanto da Paz (Ginger farm)

Joint work in Ubatuba Primary School (Sebastiana Luiza de Oliveira Prado, Araribá District)

Soil geodiversity analysis:

- Soil texture - Infiltration tests - Soil organic matter/ earthworm counting - pH analysis. Environmental course for tourist guides: PROMATA (NGO to Protect the Atlantic Rainforests of Ubatuba)

Capacitação de guias da PROMATA PROMATA is a community association to promote sustainable and environmentally-friendly activities (education and ecotourism) in Ubatuba.

PROMATA tourist guide, Água Branca trail. Lectures to tourists Newspaper

1. We are showing the value of soil analytical data for environmental management strategies on the Ubatuba soil trails and their value for geo-conservation.

2. We are demonstrating the role the trails have as a tool for promoting geo-tourism and geo-conservation.

3. Current mass tourism in Ubatuba has caused several negative impacts on the natural heritage, threatening local geodiversity. To mitigate this situation, we are informing tourists about geology, geomorphology, soils and the environment, with several interpretation sites on the trails.

4. Information boards are being made (in both Portuguese and English) for each trail, containing information regarding the landscape (ecology, geology and geomorphology), the development of environmental conservation and the positive contribution geotourists can make to geo-conservation within the Atlantic Rainforest.

Thank you for your kind attention! Muito obrigado!