Proposta de classificação de relevância de quedas dágua como subsídio à conservação

Abstract

The protection of the abiotic natural heritage is in vogue in scientifics discussions and environmental agencies. However, there is a lack specific legislation and technical criteria on the subject, especially concerning the geological / geomorphological heritage. With the waterfalls is no different, because there is no legislation or specific works on the geoconservation these environments, despite them having a very relevant use for Brazilian society and environmental importance. In this context, this study aimed to raise, through the Delphi methodology, criteria list to propose a protocol for classification of the relevance of waterfalls in support of environmental legislation. The generated protocol, was field-tested in twenty (20) of the most important waterfalls and recognized scenic beauty of Estrada Real, in Minas Gerais section, to verify the application of criteria, raised by experts consulted by Delphi technique, was consistent with reality. To avoid overvaluing a single type of environment, the 20 waterfalls protocol selected for testing were equally divided into five different regions of the Estrada Real: (i) four in the Mountain range (Aiuruoca region); (ii) four in the Serra de Carrancas; (iii) four in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero; (iv) Four in Serra do Cipo and; (v) four on the Planalto de Diamantina. After the protocol test, in the selected waterfalls, was used a multi-criteria method to frame the waterfalls visited, in the following classes, according to their scores: (i) extreme; (ii) high; (iii) medium and; (iv) low. The results showed that it was possible to create a waterfall classification protocol according to their relevance and that this protocol is adherent to the reality of these occurring in nature (Estrada Real in Minas Gerais stretch). Therefore, criteria physical, geomorphological, environmental and landscape, can and should be used in an integrated manner in the analysis of waterfalls and they can be classified and protected according to their relevance.