Resumen

DE ALBUQUERQUE, Cláudio Avellar  y  DE ALBUQUERQUE, Ulysses Paulino. Local perceptions towards biological conservation in the community of vila velha, Pernambuco, Brazil. INCI [online]. 2005, vol.30, n.8, pp.460-465. ISSN 0378-1844.

Many researchers have emphasized the importance of environmental perception studies on laying out strategies for protecting natural ecosystems. The perceptions of members of the community of Vila Velha, Itamaracá Island, Northeast Brazil, were studied in relation to its natural environment. Two environmental protection areas and six natural reserves in the island of Itamaracá justify the natural resource conservation programs in the locality. Different strategies were used to study environmental perception, which included interviews with 80 villagers and participant observation. The interviews were performed using subjective and objective questions. No strong association between age or time of residence and conservationist ideas was observed. Similarly, these ideas are independent from the level of formal education or gender. The respondents have positive attitudes in relation to the environment and understand its importance; there is a powerful link between them and the environment they live in. In spite of the positive attitudes shown by some villagers, there is a lack of essential information about the importance of the environment and its management. Therefore, there is the need to create environmental management and environmental educational programs, and these should consider community member values.

Palabras clave : Atlantic Forests; Biological Conservation; Local Perception; Mangroves; Northeast Brazil.