Arquipélagos verdes urbanos: estrutura da paisagem natural na perspectiva da cobertura vegetal em espaços livres protegidos da zona costeira, Natal/RN

Abstract

The expansion of cities and the demands of urban life result in alterations and imbalances in natural spaces. Initially covered by native vegetation, these areas have been progressively transformed by deforestation, land grading, land occupation, and gradual surface sealing. Such interventions alter both the landscapes and the dynamics of natural environments within unbuilt spaces, rendering them increasingly restricted and fragmented into remnants of varying scales, distributions, and uses. The transformed landscape structure and its resulting vegetation cover influence not only landscape compositions and conditions of environmental comfort, but also the ecological functions of place, affecting the lives of numerous other organisms. In coastal zones, the growing occupation of land raises concerns about the nature and extent of such changes, especially regarding their impacts on landscapes of significant historical, cultural, environmental, and scenic value. As a response to these transformations, a set of regulatory instruments has been established aiming to protect the environment, with a focus on maintaining ecological balance and enabling the recovery of local ecosystems. In the city of Natal, the Master Plan (Natal, 2022a), along with specific legislation applicable to the Environmental Protection Zone - ZPA, fails to establish clear parameters for the protection of these natural spaces. In light of this gap, the present research investigates how the vegetation cover of coastal open spaces could serve as a key parameter for defining and delimiting areas designated for preservation and conservation. As a hypothesis, this study assumes that the structure of the native vegetation landscape, expressed through its stratification, form, and spatial distribution, is not fully accounted for in the zoning of the preservation and conservation subzones, where land use and occupation should be more strictly regulated. The spatial scope of this research encompasses four environmental units, defined by the municipal urban regulations as ZPA fractions: the Forte dos Reis Magos and its surroundings - ZPA 7; the Farol de Mãe Luiza and its surroundings - ZPA 10; the Dunas State Park and its adjacent area - ZPA 2; and the Morro do Careca and contiguous fixed dunes - ZPA 6. The investigation aimed to understand the spatial distribution and structure of the landscape through its native vegetation cover, seeking to grasp its biophysical contributions, identify landscape units, analyze their compositional elements, and highlight landscape analysis attributes relevant to environmental protection. Among the methodological procedures, the extent and distribution of the vegetation cover were mapped using satellite imagery, which served as the basis for data interpretation and were overlaid onto the specific regulatory frameworks applicable to each studied fraction. The research revealed an anthropized and fragmented landscape structure, composed solely of patch and corridor elements in ZPA 7 and ZPA 10. In these units, inconsistencies were identified in the sanctioned regulations, including reductions in protected areas and indications of land use and occupation in sectors where the preservation of natural ecosystems should be a priority. These definitions are inconsistent with the objectives of environmental protection, thereby confirming the research hypothesis. Beyond the identified patches and corridors, the matrix element was found only in ZPA 2 and ZPA 6, alongside a new component of the landscape structure, referred to as “Scraps”. The predominance of primary vegetation in these fractions, combined with reduced direct human interference, led to their classification as holders of “Primary Landscapes”. Despite the recently sanctioned regulations, there is an understanding that a setback has occurred regarding the protection of the natural landscape, even after multiple rounds of discussion with the municipal government and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. It is also noteworthy that ZPA 2 is recognized as a statelevel Conservation Unit, governed by a Management Plan; however, like ZPA 6, it still lacks specific municipal regulation. Inconsistently, the legal regulations consolidated in 2025 tend to further relax restrictions on land occupation and construction parameters, worsening the retraction and discontinuity of vegetated open spaces along the coastal fringe of the municipality of Natal.