FISCAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF PARKS AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL: SERRA DO GANDARELA NATIONAL PARK AND BOA NOVA NATIONAL PARK

Abstract

This research evaluated the impact of parks created after the National System of Conservation Units (SNUC), in 2001, on the socioeconomic structure of municipalities with up to 200 thousand inhabitants. The objective was to verify whether these parks influence local economic development, using as cases the Serra da Gandarela National Park (Rio Acima, MG) and the Boa Nova National Park (Boa Nova, BA). The hypothesis is based on the idea that parks could boost the economic development of the surrounding populations. Using the synthetic control method, it was estimated how municipal taxes would evolve if the parks had not been created. The results gave different signals. In the case of Boa Nova, the hypothesis was confirmed, indicating economic benefits. However, in the case of Serra da Gandarela, there was a reduction in revenue, suggesting that the impacts of the parks depend on the local context and the way of implementation and use by the community.