Degradação ambiental e uso das terras do município de Princesa Isabel-PB.

Abstract

The municipality of Princesa Isabel is located in the State of Paraíba, in the Meso-region of Sertão Paraibano and Micro-region of Serra do Teixeira. The objective of this study was to analyze the environmental degradation and land use in the municipality of Princesa Isabel-PB, in order to contribute to the understanding of social, economic and environmental issues. The methodology was based on the use of geoprocessing and digital processing of satellite images, with the temporal analysis of TM/Landsat-5 and TM/Landsat-8 orbital images of the years 1985 and 2015, in order to understand the dynamics of degradation in the municipality in this period. In addition, questionnaires were applied in order to verify the vulnerabilities and environmental perception of the residents that surrounds the hydraulic basin. The results indicate that the degradation decreased. The main factors for this occurrence were the recurrent drought in this region which caused people migration to urban area for a better life conditions and employment. However, around the area that surrounds the basin, anthropic activities are developed, whose techniques are traditional with deforestation in burned and declining areas, aggravating the siltation in the Jatobá II dam, compromising the water volume. The vulnerability indexes indicates a fragile situation of the population facing disasters. The socioeconomic vulnerability showed a very high index of 50,0%, the technological vulnerability indicated a high index of 40,0% and the environmental vulnerability or drought found, was considered high with 36,8%. These values are results of the lack of information, poverty and lack of public policies in the basin’s area. Studies related to this theme are important for identification of areas with environmental degradation, as well as, help in the planning and development of actions on mitigation and preservation of natural resources.