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Zone development (Moraes 1999). These vectors are related to activities that, on
one hand, have different types of implementation – occupation standard and space
along the coast – while on the other hand follow the same logic of resources exploitation and the natural and locational potentials of the territory.
Strohaeckeri (2008) discussed vector development in the coastal zone and
declared industrialization as an eminently concentrating process, achieved through
financial, energy, human and infrastructure resources that allow space fluidity and
optimization of networks interaction. The author points out that the use of industrial
plants in the coastal zone is rare and subject to State policies that demand accessibility and both physical and virtual connections.
Oil exploration is an example of industrial activity of the utmost importance for
the Brazilian economy. Estimated as one of the economic acceleration growth factors, this activity showed significant growth in recent years, contributing to increase
the GDP per capita of coastal cities responsible for the production. Oil exploration
and offshore natural gas account for the major part of the national production,
mainly Campos (RJ) and Santos (SP).
The Brazilian coastal tropical wetlands stand out regarding population, industrial
and economic concentration, being also responsible for a wide range of ecological
functions: flood prevention, saline intrusion and coastal erosion; protection against
storms; nutrients and pollutants recycling, and the direct or indirect provision of
habitats and resources for a variety of exploited species.
Oliveira and Souza (2014) deem the Brazilian Coastal Zone an area of multiple
uses by various activities, with specific valuing of spaces, without following a pattern of homogeneous use and occupation. Regarded as “a space endowed with specificities and locational advantages” (Moraes 1999), the Coastal Zone has unique
natural characteristics that emphasize the great environmental and landscape value
of the area, as well as being the focus of considerable economic interest, with a
dense infrastructure where strong population densities prevail.
In Brazil, environmental and social impacts are part of the current Coastal Zone
scenario. The pace and intensity of transformation invariably cause imbalances and
sometimes uncontrollable social tensions, leading to, for example, socio-cultural
processes of destructuration of the traditional local communities and accentuate
vulnerability levels of many natural systems.
The high environmental vulnerability levels seen particularly in coastal systems
with important environmental services and the negative changes in the life of traditional communities are considered, by rule, as a consequence of unplanned land
uses or ineffective political actions (Souza and Vale 2016).
Disorderly occupation and unbridled tourism growth increasingly emphasize the
mosaic of inequalities, supporting an exploitation model that degrades ecosystems.
These actions, as a rule, do not follow decision processes based on knowledge of
natural and social dynamics, do not use future projections and, thus, incorporate
unbalanced practices of land management (Oliveira and Melo Souza 2013). Bellow
we present the survey on use and occupation of Whale Coast, used as a tool for analysis
and discussion on the management and planning of coastal tropical wetlands.
5 Land Use and Occupation of Coastal Tropical Wetlands: Whale Coast, Bahia, Brazil
Zone development (Moraes 1999). These vectors are related to activities that, on
one hand, have different types of implementation – occupation standard and space
along the coast – while on the other hand follow the same logic of resources exploitation and the natural and locational potentials of the territory.
Strohaeckeri (2008) discussed vector development in the coastal zone and
declared industrialization as an eminently concentrating process, achieved through
financial, energy, human and infrastructure resources that allow space fluidity and
optimization of networks interaction. The author points out that the use of industrial
plants in the coastal zone is rare and subject to State policies that demand accessibility and both physical and virtual connections.
Oil exploration is an example of industrial activity of the utmost importance for
the Brazilian economy. Estimated as one of the economic acceleration growth factors, this activity showed significant growth in recent years, contributing to increase
the GDP per capita of coastal cities responsible for the production. Oil exploration
and offshore natural gas account for the major part of the national production,
mainly Campos (RJ) and Santos (SP).
The Brazilian coastal tropical wetlands stand out regarding population, industrial
and economic concentration, being also responsible for a wide range of ecological
functions: flood prevention, saline intrusion and coastal erosion; protection against
storms; nutrients and pollutants recycling, and the direct or indirect provision of
habitats and resources for a variety of exploited species.
Oliveira and Souza (2014) deem the Brazilian Coastal Zone an area of multiple
uses by various activities, with specific valuing of spaces, without following a pattern of homogeneous use and occupation. Regarded as “a space endowed with specificities and locational advantages” (Moraes 1999), the Coastal Zone has unique
natural characteristics that emphasize the great environmental and landscape value
of the area, as well as being the focus of considerable economic interest, with a
dense infrastructure where strong population densities prevail.
In Brazil, environmental and social impacts are part of the current Coastal Zone
scenario. The pace and intensity of transformation invariably cause imbalances and
sometimes uncontrollable social tensions, leading to, for example, socio-cultural
processes of destructuration of the traditional local communities and accentuate
vulnerability levels of many natural systems.
The high environmental vulnerability levels seen particularly in coastal systems
with important environmental services and the negative changes in the life of traditional communities are considered, by rule, as a consequence of unplanned land
uses or ineffective political actions (Souza and Vale 2016).
Disorderly occupation and unbridled tourism growth increasingly emphasize the
mosaic of inequalities, supporting an exploitation model that degrades ecosystems.
These actions, as a rule, do not follow decision processes based on knowledge of
natural and social dynamics, do not use future projections and, thus, incorporate
unbalanced practices of land management (Oliveira and Melo Souza 2013). Bellow
we present the survey on use and occupation of Whale Coast, used as a tool for analysis
and discussion on the management and planning of coastal tropical wetlands.
5 Land Use and Occupation of Coastal Tropical Wetlands: Whale Coast, Bahia, Brazil