IRREGULAR OCCUPATION PROCESSES IN THE NORTHERN COAST OF SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL: THE “MORRO DOS MINEIROS” CASE

 João Paulo Diniz Abud, University of Barcelona, Spain

The Northern coast of São Paulo presents one of the last remaining of Atlantic Forest, which once covered more than 15% of the Brazilian territory (just 7,3% of the total still remains). It has Physical and biological fragile characteristics for human occupation, that contrasts with one of the biggest population growth rates of the state and country. On its occupation process, it is possible to verify 3 main vectors for economic growth and territorial reorganization. First, with the Sugar Cane production (between 1600 and 1850), second with the coffee production (between 1850 and 1940), and in a third moment, and the most important one, with the tourism after 1950 until nowadays. The opening of the Tamoios and Rio-Santos roads, stimulated the tourism sector and the construction of secondary residences. The opening and paving of this two roads promoted and intense modification of the land use in all the Northern coast of São Paulo, which is formed by the municipalities of Ubatuba, Caraguatatuba, São Sebastião and Ilhabela. Along the urbanizations developed in all those cities, it is possible to find irregular occupation nucleons, formed mainly by workers attracted by job opportunities in the construction sector, that raised with the demand for secondary residences and other tourist facilities. The Morro dos Mineiros, located in the Island of São Sebastião (Archipelago of Ilhabela) is a typical case of irregular occupation process, formed mainly by immigrants attracted by job opportunities with the island’s economic growth, proportioned by the tourism sector. The present study will try to understand the complexity of the irregular occupation process and its environmental and social conflicts in the northern coast of São Paulo, focused in the Morro dos Mineiros neighbourhood.