Modelagem da geodiversidade e identidade como suporte para roteiros geoturísticos: estudo de caso no Geoparque Morro do Chapéu, Bahia

Abstract

The Geoparks are areas geologically recognized as important, particularly in the formation of many professionals, especially those related to geosciences. In them, geoconservation strategies are linked to the sustainable economic development of local populations, strengthening the relationship of identity between the community and geodiversity.To contribute to the development of geoparks, this research aimed to develop a methodology for building geotouristic intineraries, prioritizing the basic criteria of a geopark: the geological significance of the sites and the relations of identity that the local population has with geodiversity. The test area chosen for application of the methodology was the Geopark Morro do Chapéu (Proposal). The first step was to evaluate the proposed geopark and suggest a new delimitation, to describe new sites and to give an overview of the current situation. The second step was to create a methodology of identification of identity sites through aspects that unite the people to the sites. For that, we listed 10 aspects of identity: Legends/customs/myths, memory, facts/historical events, religious beliefs, music/songs/regional songs, geographic reference, nomenclature, economic activity, symbols and mining heritage/'marks' of mining.The third step, through an adaptation of methodologies of Geossit (2012), Rocha and Pedreira (2012) and Brilha (2015), was to develop measurement criteria of sites and modeling geotouristic intineraries, which included 7 item analysis: intrinsic characteristics, identity aspects, accessibility, tourism infrastructure, state of conservation, protection level and conditions of access roads. Twelve new sites have been described, 11 is geological and 1 historical, for, along with the 21 inventoried by Rocha and Pedreira (2012), compose the base of sites used in this study. Of the 33 sites analyzed in the test area, 13 were characterized as identity, they are: The waterfalls of Ferro Doido , Agreste, Pedro Brabo e Boiadas, The Caves of Brejões and Boa Espererança, Lagoa da Velha, Morrão, Conglomerate BA-052, Thermal source of Tareco, Vila do Ventura, Hole of Possidônio and Hole of Velha Duda. The identity aspects most found were facts/historical events and memory. The measurement methodology of the sites allow us to classify its scientific nature and identity nature, as well as the protection priority. The itineraries with their respective sites are classified according to their suitability for geoparks, considering the best geological and identity representation of the area, the best conditions of access roads and tourist infrastructure. In the case of Geopark Morro do Chápeu, the application of the methodology revealed the existence of five itineraries: Pedreira - Mira Serra, Conglomerate BA-052 - Cave of Igrejinha, Waterfall Pedro Brabo - Farm Arrecife, Morrão - Hole of Alecrim and waterfall of Boiadas – Hole of Velha Duda. The intineraries considered most suitable as the scientific and identity were Pedreira - Mira Serra and Conglomerate BA-052 - Cave of Igrejinha.