Analysis of the priority conservation areas around São Francisco de Paula National Forest, southern Brazil

Abstract

The National Forest of São Francisco de Paula (FLONA/SFP) is located in the Araucaria forest ecorregion which suffered a very intensive historical destruction. Although the FLONA/SFP is not a Conservation Unity of restrict use, it has a great role in the conservation of biodiversity. The effectiveness of this and others CUs for a long time could only be reached with an adequate management of its area and its buffer zone. The aim of this work is the identification of main areas to conservation within the FLONA/SFP, the verification of important areas to activities of conservation and inspection in the buffer zone and the identification of possible corridors linking FLONA/SFP to others CUs. The road net, the hydrographic and the altimetric map had been gotten from letters 1:50,000 and the occupation and use of the ground had been verified from 1999 Landsat images. A total area of 1014.4 ha (63.2 %) was classified as priority for the preservation in the interior of the FLONA/SFP due to its declivity (> 30o), vegetation cover (native forest) and distance from rivers (up to 30 m). The areas of the microbasins that drain towards the interior of the FLONA/SFP and therefore, are priorities for actions of conservation and inspection have 9,000ha. Two ecological corridors had been identified that connect the FLONA/SFP to other CUs of the region. Having a total area of about 18,000ha, these corridors are of great importance for the creation of a big continuous area under legal protection in the region of Araucaria Forest. This work highlights the importance of FLONA/SPF and gives subsidies for its management at different scales. The category of use of this CU could be altered to a more restrict one.