DEPENDENT ASPECTS OF BRAZILIAN ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND NATIONAL TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING SERIES

摘要

This paper presents a discussion concerning some issues between the level of detail and modern scientific approach of the environmental laws and topographic mapping laws, regulations and accomplishments in Brazil that do not allow the Brazilian authorities to enforce environmental laws accurately and effectively. The objective of this paper is to study and analyze the dependence of topographic maps and the effective application of the Braziliane nvironmental legislation. The application of these environmental laws requires spatial inform ation such as Park and Public Forest limits, Conservation Units (UC) boundaries, location of ecological corridors, and Permanent Preservation Areas - APP limits which must be depicted in official maps. In order to achieve the intended objective we studied the history of the legislation for topographic mapping in Brazil. In a second moment we analyzed the demands for spatial information for the environmental laws compliance and enforcement. The production of the official cartography in Brazil is a Federal Constitution obligation. Consequently, the Brazilian Federal Government complies with the federal legislation about the responsibility for providing society with cartographic services. However there is a critical difference between the cartographic legislation objectives for the country and the results achieved of the mapping services along the Brazilian History. The percentage of the country area mapped at every scale of the topographic map series today are: 81% (1:250,000), 75% (1:100,000), 14% (1:50,000) and 1% (1:25,000). This situation is the main cause of the poor quality of the results of any kind of work that demands for data information from topographic maps of regions where there are not maps at suitable scales. An important consequence for the application of environmental legislation is the absence of maps at medium and large scales and the age of the existing maps, some of them printed 40 or 30 years ago. The national topographic mapping should provide different scales, accurate and revised map series in order to support the organizations responsible for enforcing laws. Although topographic mapping is an expense activity for the Brazilian society it is essential for any plan or action that aims environmental protection and conservation.