TITLE:
Geotourism in the Salesópolis-Caraguatatuba Trail, São Paulo, Brazil: A Possibility to Utilize Geological Elements for Sustainable Development
AUTHORS:
Victor F. Velázquez, José M. Azevedo Sobrinho, Mikhaela A. J. S. Pletsch, Antonio C. M. Guedes, Gibby Zobel
KEYWORDS:
Salesópolis-Caraguatatuba Trail; Geotourism; Geosite; Nature Preservation
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.4 No.10,
September
30,
2013
ABSTRACT: The Salesópolis-Caraguatatuba trail lies slightly more than 130 km to ESE from the Sao Paulo city, and it is fully inserted within the Atlantic Forest. The region is particularly interesting because it brings together a complex lithological association and an exuberant topographical expression. A set of geological and geomorphological elements with high potentiality for the sustainable tourism development is documented in this paper. The geosites provide a wide variety of attraction, including valleys, streams, waterfalls and the unusual shapes of rocks. In each one of those outcrops, the visitors will have an exceptional opportunity for a better understanding about the processes that control the landscape evolution. In accordance with the new conception of geotourism, and taking as a basis the concepts of the geoscience for a rereading and interpretation of the several aspects of space and landscape, the sites catalogued should enable a new insight to increase environmental awareness of the local community, and, mainly, to encourage an innovative form of economic activity that has as a fundamental principle the nature preservation.