GEO-ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT FOR THE ECOLOGICAL-ECONOMICAL ZONNING OF THE CITY OF MARACANAU, CEARA, BRAZIL.

Abstract

The city of Maracanau, located in the Metropolitan Area of Fortaleza – MAF, has gone through strong changes in the past 20 years in respect to its space configuration and environmental conditions, arising from the deliberated instalation of industrial districts and large housing developments. The plan resulted in environmental degradation caused by uncontrolled occupation of the Maracanau area. In this context, the present research aimed at evaluating the geo-environmental characteristics of the Environmental Systems of Maracanau in order to give support to the elaboration of an Ecological-Economical Zonning in search of a self-sustaining development. The main theoretical reference for this research was a systemic approach within a holistic vision that made possible an integrated analysis of the relations between nature and society in the city of Maracanau. Key words: Geo-Environmental Context; Ecological-Economical Zonning; Maracanau.