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The municipality of Botuverá (Middle Valley of the Itaja-mirim River) has a morphology marked by hills with steep slopes and narrow valley bottoms, originally covered by an exuberant Atlantic Forest, which was modified by the anthropization that began at the end of the 19th century. The objective of the research was to analyze the uses of natural resources in the territory of Botuverá from 1876 until the end of the 20th century. Four periods were identified with the predominance of subsistence and commercial interest in extractive activities; land use for crops; and mineral exploration of gold, limestone, and lime production. Some activities have advanced from artisanal work to industry in a cycle that lasts just over 100 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research deals with the theme of the interactions between society and nature, having as territorial delimitation the community of Nova Rússia, municipality of Blumenau, located in the buffer zone of the Serra do Itajaí National Park (PNSI). The objective is to describe the environmental history and the regional development of this community. The main activities that contributed to regional development between 1860-1940 were mining, forest exploration (wood and firewood), and subsistence farming activities. Between 1950-1990 there was an expansion of the occupation of space by exploratory activities already developed, and reduction of the native forest by pine and eucalyptus plantations. Beginning in the 1990s, there are initiatives for the commercial use of the region for leisure and recreation, as well as initiatives for the conservation of nature. These activities have been extended with the creation of the PNSI in 2004 and have become important elements of regional development with practices focused on sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]