NATURAL VEGETATION DYNAMICS AROUND THE IRATI NATIONAL FOREST, BRAZIL, IN RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION FROM 1992 TO 2017

Abstract

The aim of this research was to relate natural vegetation dynamics to environmental policies and agricultural pressure surrounding the Irati National Forest (INF), in the state of Parana, Brazil. We mapped landuses and detected their changes over a period of 25 years (1992 to 2017), emphasising gains and losses of natural vegetation to other uses. Employing a pixel-based approach, Landsat-5 TM and Landsat-8 OLI data were used to classify landuse surrounding the INF. We reviewed records of agricultural expansion and environmental policies in Parana to explain losses and gains in vegetation cover detected in the landuse change analysis. During the study period the area surrounding the INF gained ~10,000 ha of natural vegetation cover regenerated from areas formerly under crop or pasture cover and planted forests, but lost ~20,000 ha, largely to agricultural expansion, likely for soybeans. We discuss environmental policies, particularly the Ecological ICMS (a Brazilian ecological fiscal incentive paid to counties that shelter protected areas) as the most important reason for the vegetation regeneration and nature conservation.