Summary: |
This paper presents an investigation on the architectural, natural, and cultural resources in the southern part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, according to their historical or environmental value, identifying natural and cultural elements known and valued by local communities, regardless their experts’ classification. Resources are identified by means of geographical information systems, combined with field information. The area comprises the coastal strip and the plains located in the last frontier of the Brazilian territory and the water system dominated by the lakes Patos, Mangueira and Mirim. The inventory of the environmental, sociocultural and economic heritage provides the necessary insight for issuing new development alternatives based on local resources. Research activities will include: the ellaboration of general and thematic maps, based on LANDSAT 5 [bands 3, 4 and 5] images; aerial photographs; DSG/SGE and municipal maps [scales 1:250.000, 1:50.000 and 1:25.000]; field work for the recognition of remarkable elements; interviews with residents for assessing their perception of local values; and community and institutional statements. These informations, comprising the elements valued by their architectural and urban quality, historical relevance and environmental significance, organised in a database, will provide contextual guidelines for the planning of a tourist route. This route, delineated by the preservation, recovery and use of representative local resources, valued as expressions of a native culture, evocates the initial occupation of the gaúcho territory, and may be touristically promoted as "The Gaúcho’s Way". The project also aims at showing the potential offered by GIS for identifying and evaluating specific spatial characteristics. |