Vol. 13 No. 18 (2025): Edição 2025

Greetings

We are pleased to present the 2025 edition of our electronic journal. Eight articles met the thematic and academic requirements established by the Editorial Committee. As we have already highlighted, our article submission system is continuous and, therefore, we are open to new contributions. Characterized primarily by interdisciplinarity, eight articles were approved and published.

The first addresses the analysis of the functionalities of ecosystem services in the Posse-Guarita Environmental Protection Area (APA), municipality of Nova Iguaçu/RJ. To this end, a land use classification was carried out, the levels of relevance of ecosystem services were surveyed, and the effectiveness of the application of projects and financial contributions allocated by the management of the protected area was evaluated.

The second article provides information on the first documented case of a large prey species being hunted by a puma (Puma concolor, Linnaeus, 1766), specifically a young capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), in the Gericinó-Mendanha massif in a public use area of ​​the Serra do Mendanha Municipal Natural Park, Rio de Janeiro municipality.

The third article describes, for the first time, a case of attack by C. latirostris (broad-snouted caiman) in the Barra da Tijuca Nelson Mandela Municipal Natural Park, RJ. The authors addressed the implications for the conservation of the species, listed as endangered, on the management and public use of protected areas where the species lives.

The following article presents basic information about the Água Escondida Municipal Natural Park, including initiatives for vegetation recovery and potential for public use. The park presents elements of historical value (ruins of an aqueduct and reservoir) that bear witness to the early occupation of the city of Niterói/RJ.

The fifth deals with the Serra do Lenheiro Municipal Ecological Park, São João del-Rei, MG, a conservation unit of great natural and cultural relevance, but weakened by the lack of effective planning and management. The unit reveals strong historical and symbolic links, but faces challenges in management, security, and popular participation.

The sixth aimed to disseminate Ocean Culture through marine and coastal environmental education in the Itaipu oceanic region (Niterói/RJ), highlighting the role of Conservation Units as learning spaces. To this end, an Interpretive Trail (IT) was developed for a public school, using qualitative research methodology based on environmental interpretation.

The seventh work carried out a quantitative systematic review of the literature on methods for assessing the impacts of public use in protected areas of the state of Rio de Janeiro. The analysis covered the years 2012 to 2025, using the Google Scholar platform as a search source.

To conclude this edition, the last article seeks to broaden the debate on the need to develop simple protocols for constructing indicators to investigate trail conditions, using the T15 Trail of Caxadaço Beach, Ilha Grande State Park, Angra dos Reis, RJ, as a case study. The work discusses the importance of creating a continuous monitoring system that allows aligning the use of the trail with the park's conservation objectives and promoting safe, orderly, and environmentally sustainable visitation.

Our eternal gratitude to the authors for their valuable contributions, hoping that they will provide an enriching reading for the evolution and consolidation of knowledge in general.

Editorial Committee