Manejo da vegetação sob linhas de transmissão de energia elétrica na Serra de Baturité

Abstract

Forest fragmentation, board effects, establishment of corridors without vegetation and the acceleration of soil erosive processes are some direct impacts occurring on the vegetation and soil due to installation of electrical transmission lines. The goal of the present study was to propose alternatives for the sustainable management of the Atlantic Forest in areas under electrical transmission lines (ALTEEs) installed in the Baturité Mountain, Ceará, Brazil. It was selected and delimited ALTEEs located in the windward slope at the altitudinal ranges below to 600, between 600 and 800 and above to 800 meters in electric networks of low (13,8 kV) and high tension (69 kV). It was also selected undisturbed areas considered as referential in comparison to the ALTEEs. The results pointed out that management of the vegetation in areas under electrical transmission lines should mainly consider the following aspects: (1) growth habit of tree species within undisturbed areas; (2) growth rates of the vegetation; (3) differentiated management procedures on the vegetation situated immediately below the electrical lines, within intervention area and beyond to the intervention area. The execution of the management plan associated to the constant technical evaluations will make possible the adaptation of the methodology for the different environmental situations in the Baturité Mountain and/or other regions.