Conexões geo-históricas e contemporâneas entre ocupação territorial, degradação ambiental e rarefação hídrica na Bacia do Rio Doce

Abstract

One of the most important Brazilian hydrographic region, the Doce river watershed is a complex mosaic of landscapes, heritage of geo-historic processes of economic and environmental exploration. The east side of the watershed shows clearly the scars of the historical deforestation. In the other hand, the west is under the constant risk of mining activities. In synthesis, the Doce river watershed presents a scenario of environmental degradation and hydric rarefaction. Thus, this paper discuss the relationships between territorial occupation, environmental degradation and the hydric crisis in the Doce river watershed, through a geo-historical and a contemporary context. The main vectors of pressure and the human impacts in the watershed are elucidated to contribute with strategies of a territorial management that are socially just and environmentally safe.