Use of multicriteria analysis to define priority areas for reforestation in the Piranga River Basin, MG, Brazil

Abstract

The Piranga River Basin is one of the main sub-basins of the Doce River, being one of the most historically explored, which culminated in an emblematic episode, the rupture of the mining tailings dam in Mariana. Those responsible for the damage had to develop solutions to repair the territory, mainly the definition of priority areas for conservation. One factor to consider for this definition was the institution of protected spaces in rural properties, such as the Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs), consolidated by the new Forest Code (Law No. 12,651 / 2012). For the allocation of intervention areas, the Multicriteria Analysis was adopted, widely used in decision-making processes. The results showed that the southeast area of the Doce River State Park is more likely to receive initiatives to restore native vegetation. The opposite occurs in the more urbanized regions of the basin, which are also coincident with the steepest areas.