O patrimônio histórico-cultural em unidades de conservação

Abstract

With the implementation of Conservation Units, many communities may lose their symbolic territory and sense of place, which may result in a loss of identity. Broken feelings may result in less protection for the environment. It is assumed that many managers and the community itself have not yet realized the importance of keeping cultural identities alive, since in these spaces, populations establish relationships between their human and cultural manifestations and the natural environment, maintaining the identity of the place. The present research aimed to analyze the approach to Historical-Cultural Heritage within Conservation Units. This study used the Mixed Methods approach from the sequential explanatory strategy perspective. The National and State Parks of the State of Minas Gerais were selected from the group of Full Protection Conservation Units, with some exclusion criteria. The present study was divided into phases. In the first phase, a documentary research of park management plans was carried out to characterize the Conservation Units; and verify the existence of specific actions related to historical-cultural aspects in the Management Plans, as well as the existence or mention of Cultural Assets. We classified the characteristics related to historical-cultural heritage into “strengths” and “weaknesses”. To analyze these points, we used the SWOT matrix and Evaluative Assertion Analysis (EAA), also known as Assessment Analysis. This analysis was used to direct attitudes, using a negative and positive classification scheme. In the second stage, data were collected via a structured questionnaire, using the Google Forms tool, sent to park managers and visitors in general. The data were tabulated after being categorized. Some nominal variables were considered extracted from the texts that presented a relationship with the terms that describe our sample. We defined the absolute frequency of the nominal variables as the number of times that this value occurs in this sample, after which we defined the relative frequency of the nominal variables. The data were analyzed based on Descriptive Statistics, with a descriptive and argumentative presentation of the data. In the third stage, a quantitative approach study was carried out, based on exploration and descriptive data analysis, aiming to obtain information and variables. An evaluation of the State Parks Management Plans was carried out. Some variables were found regarding the Conservation Unit, regarding the cultural asset and regarding the Management Plan. Evaluation Analysis was used with the proposal to measure attitudes and the SWOT matrix, demonstrating strengths and weaknesses that can be enhanced. Principal component analysis was also carried out, using the PCA function of the MVar.pt package of the R statistical program and hierarchical cluster analysis. The results analyzed contributed to observing the lack of management regarding the cultural asset and the lack of protection and conservation actions by the managing bodies. It is noted that conservation is an inherent factor as a strategy for many UCs, contributing to a relationship between nature and culture, since, in several protected areas, people have left their cultural identity. The importance of social actors, as well as managers and the resident and resistant society in the process of conservation of cultural assets was identified, which can thus result in the formation of a sense of belonging. In this sense, we believe that highlighting the importance of social participation makes it possible to achieve positive changes through dialogue and the rapprochement of the parties involved, in addition to the emergence of new agreed strategies, aiming to keep identity and culture alive, mitigating the challenges of conservation and the relationship between history, society and management, within the CUs.