Ethno-environmental corridors in Indigenous Lands

Abstract

Works that aim to guarantee the flow of biodiversity as well as to facilitate connectivity between ethnic groups located in distant Indigenous Lands (TI’s) can be called ethno-environmental corridors (CEa’s). This work aimed to create CEa's proposals between the TI’s Urubu Branco and Tapirapé/Karajá located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, inserted in the Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado biomes. Initially, slope raster images, permanent protection areas (APP) and land use were obtained. These images were subsequently reclassified to their respective cost matrix images. In possession of the matrix images of cost, they were multiplied by their respective statistical weights, in order to obtain a matrix image of total cost. To establish the CEa’s, it was necessary, through the matrix image of total cost, to obtain the images of cost distance and the cost direction. Finally, using the images of cost of distance and cost of driving and the vectorized perimeters of the TI’s, a raster image of the CEa’s was generated, which was converted to a vector file. The width of the CEa's was fixed at 10% of their total lengths in accordance with CONAMA Resolution No. 9, of October 24, 1996. Two main ethno-environmental Corridors (CEa's) were proposed, which depart from the northern and central portion of TI Urubu Branco, which are subdivided respectively into two CEa's ending in the northern portion and two other CEa's ending in the northern and southern portion of the Tapirapé/Karajá TI. Of all the associations proposed between the main CEa’s and their subdivisions, none has less than 50% of native vegetation in its area. However, the associations of CEa's involving the Main Corridor Center are possibly more effective to the flow of indigenous people and biodiversity, since the percentage of native vegetation present in their areas is relatively higher, when compared to those observed in the associations of CEa's involving the North Main Corridor.