ECOTOURISM BASED ON THE GEOGRAPHIC MAPPING OF THE ITATIAIA NATIONAL PARK IN THE STATE OF RIO DE JANEIRO

Abstract

Ecotourism is a branch of conventional tourism, where it uses the practice of sustainability, protection and responsibility with Environmental Preservation Areas or Conservation Units (UCs). Therefore, it is characterized as a sustainable tourist activity, where the main focus is the conservation of the environment and the cultural enrichment of visitors, without harming beings or the environment; Since, sustainability seeks development in balance between the ecological, economic and social world. The Itatiaia National Park (PNI), located in the south of the state of Rio de Janeiro, is the first national park in Brazil. Currently the park is divided into two large areas with different geographical characteristics, called the Upper Part and the Lower Part. The project was developed with students of the Environmental Engineering Course, School of Engineering of Lorena, University of São Paulo, Brazil. The project offered the opportunity to visit and study conservation areas in the Lower Part of the PNI. In this way, ecotourism plays a key role in the formation of conscious and engaged students, preparing them to face the environmental challenges of the current and future world. These experiences provide unique opportunities for people to learn about the importance of preserving ecosystems, biodiversity, and the impacts of human activities on the environment. By connecting people with nature in a respectful and sustainable way, ecotourism inspires individual and collective actions in favor of conservation, thus contributing to the formation of a society that is more aware and engaged in protecting the planet.