Discussing Use Concessions in Brazilian Protected Areas

Abstract

 The recognition of the importance of protected areas as providers of social, cultural and economic benefits is growing among Brazilian society, cultural and economic benefits, which includes the opportunity to practice recreational activities in these places, as an expression of the social right to leisure. However, the staff responsible for receiving these visitors, as well as the offer of activities and lack of infrastructure related to services, have been an important issue for the management bodies, especially when talking about the conservation units of the parks category. This situation should not lead to the continuity of the condition of "Fortress parks", where visitation is restricted to environmental education actions. Partnerships with other institutions or the local community or private companies are one of the ways to deal with this issue. Among the partnership options, there has been a prioritization in recent years to concession of services for use in protected areas for the private sector, especially for parks. This article reflects on concession processes as a tool for improving services in protected areas and as a way to enhance management systems in these areas. We highlight relevant issues on the topic, seeking to provoke the reader to think about concessions in parks. Could this be the only or the best path for the development of use in Brazilian natural areas at this time?