Rapid ‘SWOT’ Diagnosis Method for Conservation Areas

Abstract

The population growth and the pressure over natural resources have increased around conservations areas in Brazil. Deforestation has contributed to natural disasters, such as floods and accelerated soil erosion, that have taken place in different parts of country in recent years. These events have taken lives and seriously affected not only the urban sectors but also conservation areas. One of the areas affected by natural disaster has been 'Ilha Grande', Big Island State Park (PEIG), the third largest oceanic island in Brazil, which is located in the state of Rio de Janeiro and coordinated by the State Environment Organization (INEA). Although Ilha Grande is one of UNESCO's Biosphere Reserves, it has been under socio-economic pressure for years. According to the Brazilian legislation, all conservation areas such as Ilha Grande should prepare a master plan for management purposes. Most of these plans are based on secondary data from the literature review, technical surveys and participatory meetings. However, a lack of primary data may lead to improper decision-making. This paper reports on the development of a local diagnosis methodology applied in Ilha Grande to improve the decision-making process for planning reasons. The strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT) method was used to combine primary information from field diagnosis and consultation with local stakeholders. The information surveyed was used not only as a baseline for the master plan of PEIG but also to elucidate the vulnerable areas on the island.

Stakeholder collaboration: evaluating community-based conservancies in Kenya

“…This method was selected based on preliminary research in the region and consultation with local community informants. The analyses recorded the perceptions of both current and anticipated positive and negative features of a project (Braun & Amorim, 2014). The technique began with individual brainstorming by participants to produce a qualitative list of factors and attitudes, to collect participants’ perceptions of the conservancy's strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, and any threats (SWOT; Maynard & Jacobson, 2017).…”

Management and Mapping Ecosystem Services in a Privately Owned Natura 2000 Site: An Insight into the Stellantis–La Mandria Site (Italy)

“…The SWOT analysis allows the identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in achieving specific objectives. This analysis was invented around the 1950s in the field of marketing research and has evolved over time to find applications in strategic planning processes and in the field of spatial management [26], and it is often combined with other analysis techniques, including participatory mapping [27].…”

“…The SWOT analysis [26] is based on a discussion and identification (usually in groups) of the internal factors or endogenous variables (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors or exogenous variables (opportunities and threats) necessary to achieve each objective. The endogenous variables include all those variables that are an integral part of the system itself (e.g., organisational structure, capital, technologies), on which it is possible to intervene to pursue pre-set objectives.…”

Gerenciamento costeiro integrado sob uma perspectiva etno-oceanográfica: o conhecimento tradicional na Baía do Araçá

“…Na análise SWOT pautada no CT dos pescadores do Araçá, foram identificadas potencialidades como segurança, beleza cênica, pesca artesanal e biodiversidade; oportunidades como o desenvolvimento do turismo comunitário, a despoluição dos córregos que deságuam na baía e o fortalecimento da participação social; fraquezas como a presença de resíduos sólidos, presença de esgoto e falta de iluminação nas áreas de acesso a baía; e ameaças como o crescimento urbano desordenado, o tráfego intenso de embarcações e o descaso do poder público pela região. Ao identificar de forma clara e simples fatores internos e externos que influenciam positivamente ou negativamente o território local, tal ferramenta facilita a definição e priorização de ações que podem catalisar as potencialidades e oportunidades, e minimizar ou evitar as fragilidades e ameaças, visando a sustentabilidade da região (BUARQUE, 2008;VIEGAS et al,2014;BRAUN;AMORIM, 2014). Os resultados apresentados no SWOT/Araçá demonstram que o CT pode ser direcionado para questões focais atreladas ao planejamento estratégico e, assim, auxiliar na tomada de decisão sobre a região do Araçá.…”