Strategies for a sustainable land use in the Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract

Land use and land cover changes have intensified in the Brazilian Cerrado in the last years. However, the directions of the loss of native vegetation, conservation strategies and the advance of agricultural frontiers are yet poorly investigated. The objective of this thesis is to provide a guidance for the use of the soil, aiming at a sustainable and efficient use in the biome that grows the most in agricultural production in the country. The evaluation of vegetation loss drivers showed that the distance to rivers, roads and cities, agricultural potential, permanent and annual agriculture and cattle raising lead to greater loss of native vegetation, while protected areas prevent this loss. It was found that the native vegetation loss model is capable of reproducing vegetation loss in the medium and long term. Furthermore, we have seen that vegetation losses occur mainly within large properties. Through the projection of production and conservation scenarios, it was found that the creation of protected areas protects native vegetation more than the increase in the legal reserve and that the elimination of the legal reserve would cause greater loss of vegetation than eliminating the areas protected. It was concluded that private properties are essential for efficient planning of land use and cover. The results of this doctoral thesis are important to guide the study of sustainable use and occupation of the Cerrado biome and help decision makers in territorial planning on how to arbitrate territorial demands aiming at the rational use of natural resources in the Cerrado.