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5.4 Case Study of the Land Use and Occupation of Whale
Coast: Bahia: Brazil
As in other countries, population growth is considered the main cause of the environmental changes observed in the Brazilian coastline (Ibama 2002). In the state of
Bahia’s Coastal Zone, the average population density is 96 inhabitants per km
2
,
which is low when compared to Pernambuco, with 913 inhabitants per km
2
, and Rio
de Janeiro, with 806 inhabitants per km
2
(Ibge 2010). The coast of Bahia, therefore,
can better control occupation, to minimize coastal environmental impacts.
Among the coastal states, Bahia stands out as having the longest coastline in the
country, with approximately 1,183 km and high socioeconomic potential emphasized by dense population occupation, large agricultural use, high tourist demand,
presence of sedimentary basins, alkaline bodies that are economically exploitable
and so on (Nicolodi and Petermann 2010).
According to Anjos (2005), Bahia coastline is currently “sold” as the New
Caribbean, the New Mediterranean, the New Florida. Government initiatives result
in significant flow increases – both domestic and international –, while foreign capital injected into the sector assumes an important role (hotels and resorts).
The coast is an interesting reality as a study topic and the basis for public policies, since the coastal regions of Bahia receive international capital and are marked
by considerable social and environmental contrasts. This study opted to focus particular attention on the coastal region known as Whale Coast,
1
a name given by the
Bahia Tourism Development Program (Prodetur 2003) (Fig. 5.13).
Whale Coast is on the extreme South of Bahia, between the geographical coordinates 17°15′ and 18°20′ S, and 39°08′ and 39°40″ W. The region has about 130 km
of coastline, being part of the Alcobaça, Caravelas, Nova Viçosa and Mucuri.
Originally part of the Colonial Captaincy of Porto Seguro, this area has great diversity of landscapes, with sandy beaches, beach sections coated with sandbank vegetation, and tidal plains covered by mangroves, among others. The area has been the
target of disorderly real estate speculation, for being considered the “Entryway” to
the Abrolhos Marine National Park and due to a multitude of environmental impacts
derived from human intervention.
Geotechnology allowed us to diagnose the main forms of land use and occupation in Whale Coast between 1980 and 2014. This study aimed to contribute to the
planning of the territory’s use and occupation. Based on this, the following questions guided this work: what have been changing in the use and occupation of the
area in the last 34 years? How lands are used today and how they relate to each
other? Is there a link between tropical wetlands and areas of anthropic use? The
answers to these and other questions are the issues discussed below.
The methodological procedures were divided into three stages: the first was a
literature review on land use and occupation of coastal tropical wetlands; the second
1 The name refers to ecological sanctuaries such as the Abrolhos Marine National Park, nursery of
the Humpback Whale.
S.O. Souza et al.
5.4 Case Study of the Land Use and Occupation of Whale
Coast: Bahia: Brazil
As in other countries, population growth is considered the main cause of the environmental changes observed in the Brazilian coastline (Ibama 2002). In the state of
Bahia’s Coastal Zone, the average population density is 96 inhabitants per km
2
,
which is low when compared to Pernambuco, with 913 inhabitants per km
2
, and Rio
de Janeiro, with 806 inhabitants per km
2
(Ibge 2010). The coast of Bahia, therefore,
can better control occupation, to minimize coastal environmental impacts.
Among the coastal states, Bahia stands out as having the longest coastline in the
country, with approximately 1,183 km and high socioeconomic potential emphasized by dense population occupation, large agricultural use, high tourist demand,
presence of sedimentary basins, alkaline bodies that are economically exploitable
and so on (Nicolodi and Petermann 2010).
According to Anjos (2005), Bahia coastline is currently “sold” as the New
Caribbean, the New Mediterranean, the New Florida. Government initiatives result
in significant flow increases – both domestic and international –, while foreign capital injected into the sector assumes an important role (hotels and resorts).
The coast is an interesting reality as a study topic and the basis for public policies, since the coastal regions of Bahia receive international capital and are marked
by considerable social and environmental contrasts. This study opted to focus particular attention on the coastal region known as Whale Coast,
1
a name given by the
Bahia Tourism Development Program (Prodetur 2003) (Fig. 5.13).
Whale Coast is on the extreme South of Bahia, between the geographical coordinates 17°15′ and 18°20′ S, and 39°08′ and 39°40″ W. The region has about 130 km
of coastline, being part of the Alcobaça, Caravelas, Nova Viçosa and Mucuri.
Originally part of the Colonial Captaincy of Porto Seguro, this area has great diversity of landscapes, with sandy beaches, beach sections coated with sandbank vegetation, and tidal plains covered by mangroves, among others. The area has been the
target of disorderly real estate speculation, for being considered the “Entryway” to
the Abrolhos Marine National Park and due to a multitude of environmental impacts
derived from human intervention.
Geotechnology allowed us to diagnose the main forms of land use and occupation in Whale Coast between 1980 and 2014. This study aimed to contribute to the
planning of the territory’s use and occupation. Based on this, the following questions guided this work: what have been changing in the use and occupation of the
area in the last 34 years? How lands are used today and how they relate to each
other? Is there a link between tropical wetlands and areas of anthropic use? The
answers to these and other questions are the issues discussed below.
The methodological procedures were divided into three stages: the first was a
literature review on land use and occupation of coastal tropical wetlands; the second
1 The name refers to ecological sanctuaries such as the Abrolhos Marine National Park, nursery of
the Humpback Whale.
S.O. Souza et al.