Brazilian National Parks

decolonization of scenic beauty in protected areas

Abstract

This article addresses colonization in the Environmental Law by incorporating into brazilian legislation a biodiversity protection system that is incompatible with the socio-environmental reality of the country. It therefore consists of an innovative analysis of National Parks from the perspective of decoloniality. Its central objective is the decolonization of the concept of National Parks. The specific objectives are the presentation of the National System of Conservation Units and the discussion of its criteria; the analysis of scenic beauty; the defense of the sociocultural rights of indigenous, quilombola and traditional communities. The methodology used was bibliographical and documentary research, with legal analysis; the analysis of secondary data provided by the Ministry of the Environment. The approach method was hypothetical-deductive and the research has an exploratory character. A mostly Latin American theoretical framework was used, especially brazilian. The conclusion points to the need to rethink the hierarchy of levels of environmental protection of Conservation Units; clarify the criteria for granting these different levels; and integrating native peoples and traditional communities into these processes as a way of instrumentalizing the decolonization of parks in Brazil.