• Alexandre Rosa Dos Santos, Tessa Chimalli, Peluzio João Batista Esteves JBE Federal Institute of Espírito Santo, Campus Alegre, BR 482, km 7, CEP 29500-000 Alegre/Rive, ES, Brazil. Electronic address: jbpeluzio@if, Aderbal Gomes da Silva, Dos Santos Gleissy Mary Amaral Dino Alves GMADA Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Chemistry, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Elec, Alexandre Simões Lorenzon, Thaisa Ribeiro Teixeira, de Castro Nero Lemos Martins NLM Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic , and Soares Ribeiro Carlos Antonio Alvares CAA Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil. El.
• Federal University of Espírito Santo/UFES, Department of Rural Engineering, Alto Universitário, s/n, 29500-000, Alegre, ES, Brazil. Electronic address: alexandre.santos@pq.cnpq.br.
• Sci. Total Environ. 2016 Jan 15; 541: 1296-1302.

AbstractMany countries have environmental legislation to protecting natural resources on private property. In Brazil, the Brazilian Forestry Code determines specific areas to maintain with natural vegetation cover, known as areas of permanent preservation (APP). Currently, there are few studies that relate topographic variables on APP. In this context, we sought to evaluate the influence of relief on the conservation of areas of permanent preservation (APP) in the areas surrounding Caparaó National Park, Brazil. By using the chi-squared statistical test, we verified that the presence of forest cover is closely associated with altitude. The classes of APP in better conservation status are slopes in addition to hilltops and mountains, whereas APP streams and springs are among the areas most affected by human activities. The most deforested areas are located at altitudes below 1100.00 m and on slopes less than 45°. All orientations of the sides were significant for APP conservation status, with the southern, southeastern, and southwestern sides showing the lower degrees of impact. The methodology can be adjusted to environmental legislation to other countries.

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