ABSTRACT The geo-environmental zoning represents an important strategy in the territorial management. However, it requires a logical and structured procedure. Therefore, an approach using physiographic compartmentalization is proposed and applied as case study in a region covered by the topographic maps of São José dos Campos and Jacareí, Brazil. This region has great geological and geomorphological peculiarities, beyond being a place with large human interventions because of its quickly economic growth. The methodology is based on photointerpretation techniques and remote sensing in GIS environment. As a result, seven geo-environmental zones were obtained from a weighted integration by multicriteria analysis of physiographic units with land-use classes. In conclusion, taking into account potentialities and limitations, the proposed approach can be considered able to support sustainable decision-making, being applicable in other regions.

A localização da Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Jundiaí-Mirim, próximo a grandes centros urbanos e parques industriais, tem contribuído para a valorização das suas terras; em consequência, a região apresenta intenso processo de urbanização, que resultou em um aumento crescente da perturbação ambiental nas áreas florestais. Dada à necessidade de manutenção da vegetação natural, visto que a bacia hidrográfica é a fonte da água utilizada no abastecimento de Jundiaí, SP, este trabalho avaliou as modificações na qualidade ambiental dos fragmentos florestais da bacia hidrográfica entre 1972 e 2013. A qualidade ambiental foi determinada por meio da avaliação de nove indicadores de perturbação ambiental obtidos através de técnicas de Geoprocessamento e integrados pela Análise Multicritério. Os resultados mostraram uma tendência constante de deterioração da qualidade ambiental da vegetação natural entre 1972 e 2013, atribuída ao intenso processo de ocupação da bacia hidrográfica. Concluiu-se que: (a) a urbanização e o desmatamento da vegetação natural foram os principais responsáveis pelas alterações na qualidade ambiental; (b) existe a necessidade de criação de políticas públicas para a preservação da vegetação natural do manancial.

The location of Jundiaí-Mirim river basin, close to large urban centers and industrial parks, has contributed to the appreciation of their lands. Consequently, the region has an intense process of urbanization that resulted in an increasing environmental disturbance in the forest areas. Given the need to preserve existing natural vegetation, because the watershed is the source of water used to supply Jundiaí, SP, this study evaluated changes in the environmental quality of the watershed forest fragments between 1972 and 2013. The environment quality was determined by evaluating nine indicators of environmental disturbance, obtained by techniques of Geoprocessing and integrated by Multicriteria Analysis. The results showed a constant tendency of deteriorating the environmental quality of natural vegetation between 1972 and 2013, attributed to the intense process of occupation of the watershed. It is concluded that: (a) urbanization and deforestation of natural vegetation were primarily responsible for changes in environmental quality; (b) there is a need to create public policies to preserve the natural vegetation in the watershed.