Chapada das Mesas National Park, Maranhão, Brazil

This work investigates the environmental perception of traditional communities living in and around the Chapada das Mesas National Park, located in the municipality of Carolina/MA. The research used a form with 52 closed questions and was applied to 40 residents, one questionnaire per household surveyed, as well as notes of observations of facts and photographic records. The park's communities are recognised as traditional and remain distant from other social groups, far from urban areas, preserving their culture and attachment to the territory where they live. The community's economic activities include subsistence farming, animal husbandry and the extraction of native fruits to supplement family income. In this context, it can be inferred that the residents are sensitive to environmental issues and understand that the creation of the Park was important for reducing deforestation, with a view to maintaining its biodiversity.