Synergies and conflicts in coping with territorial development in the coastal zone of Santa Catarina State

Abstract

This article provides a synthesis of the most relevant results of a project inserted in an integrated research programme focusing on Rural Territorial Dynamics in Latin America. The coastal zone of Santa Catarina State, in the south of Brazil, was chosen as an experimental area to test the fitness of a model that explores the interconexions between  stakeholders, institutional arrangements and patterns of natural resources use and management. The authors address several kinds of impacts of three territorial dynamics observed in this area, bringing together issues related to economic growth, social inclusion, political descentralization, bio/sociodiversity conservation and socio-ecological viability. Moreover, they review the complexity of the synergic-antagonistic relationships involving these dynamics in the recent times.