Dinâmicas territoriais e normativas: processos históricos, legislativo e atual conjuntura de degradação da Amazônia maranhense

Abstract

The Maranhão Amazon is facing transformations in its territory, notably with regard to the use, coverage and occupation of its lands, exemplified by the introduction of pastures, the arrival of mining companies and the loss of territory of native and traditional populations, in a context of advancement of public industrialization and planning policies. This course completion work addresses the historical processes of occupation and expansion in Maranhão, culminating in the formation of municipalities, the State and, consequently, the Amazon biome. This analysis correlates with the main elements that contribute to the current situation of degradation of the biome, being supported by a bibliographical survey carried out using the dialectical method, which allowed the identification of the main conflicts and their uses in the territory. Additionally, the characterization of the economic, social, population and environmental aspects of the Maranhão Amazon was explored to understand the broader context of these changes. The main legal protections in the region were identified, using environmental legislative processes as a tool to understand the formal use of the territory. These analyzes contributed to the identification of conservation units (UCs) present in the biome, created throughout the development of environmental law, and their location through mapping. Within the scope of the objectives of this study, a detailed analysis was carried out of the main conflicts between the formal and real use of the territory, including the assessment of the impact of laws, such as the Sarney Land Law, the construction of the Belém-Brasília highway, the BR- 220 and the implementation of the Carajás railway, which directly impact the scenario of land conflicts, exacerbated extraction of natural resources and degradation of biodiversity in the Maranhão Amazon. After a comprehensive analysis of the historical processes of occupation and expansion in Maranhão, and the factors contributing to the current degradation in the Maranhão Amazon, the presence of several territorial conflicts involving companies, industries, indigenous peoples and traditional communities becomes evident. Conflicts arising from the advance of agribusiness in protected areas stand out, resulting in the loss of vegetation and compromising the ecosystem. Public planning policies, such as the construction of highways and the Carajás railway since the 1950s, intensify such conflicts and contribute to the degradation of the biome, which is reflected in the health of the local population