Boipeba, still roots, resists resort on isolated beach – 03/12/2023 – Guia Negro

The large stretch of beach, surrounded by villages, without cars and with a lot of nature and traditions of native peoples make Ilha de Boipeba, in Bahia, a unique scenario. The apparent balance between human presence and natural beauty is threatened by the construction of a resort on one of the most beautiful and isolated beaches: Ponta de Castelhanos.

On the 7th of March, Inema (Institute for the Environment and Water Resources), a government agency in Bahia for the preservation of the environment, authorized the implementation of a millionaire enterprise called Mangaba coconut cultivation, which would have among its partners José Roberto Marinho (heir to Grupo Globo) and Armínio Fraga (president of the Central Bank during the FHC government). The luxury allotment is located in a preserved area of ​​the Atlantic Forest that belongs to the Union.

Ordinance 28,063 authorizes the real estate project that has 69 lots, 25 houses, two inns with 25 rooms, an airport, a large nautical structure and a golf course that will replace dozens of Mangabeiras, fruit trees typical of the region. The development may occupy an area equivalent to 1,700 soccer fields, corresponding to approximately 20% of the island’s territory.

The authorization generated a movement among the residents of Boipeba, who were against the construction, who launched a petition and made a profile on Instagram to give visibility to the case. According to the movement, “the damage caused would be irreparable for the local ecosystem, going against the grain of ecological and sustainable tourism.”

In addition to the environmental impacts, the project also poses risks to artisanal fishing, small farming and extractivism, activities that help maintain the collective identity and way of life of local residents.

According to the document released by the residents, the implementation of the project would also work as an aggravating factor of environmental racism, since the negative impacts would not be felt by those arriving by helicopter on the island, but by the historically marginalized and invisible population, for the most part, black.

The clash has been going on since 2012, when the idea for the project first became public. In 2019, the MPF (Federal Public Ministry) stated in recommendations 01 and 02/2019 of process 1.14.001.000322/2014-10, that “there is no legal basis for Inema to carry out the environmental licensing of an enterprise without the agreement of the owner of the property in which it will be installed, especially in the case of Union property, insusceptible of adverse possession or expropriation”.

The posture of bodies such as the Public Prosecutor’s Office will be fundamental for us to know whether or not the undertaking will continue. And popular pressure is already calling for public hearings to debate the matter.

Tourism

Tourism is a flagship of the island’s economy, offering the traditional tour around the island, receiving tourists from neighboring Morro de São Paulo, which is more popular and is located on the same peninsula, and who spend the day in the calmer “cousin”. There are also options such as the Caminhada Boipeba Roots, by nearly Nativa, which offer the possibility of getting to know the interior of the island through local reference residents and important places such as Casa de Farinha.

With no large resorts or buildings that threaten its tranquility, Boipeba has remained untouched over the years largely because it is not so easy to get to from Salvador, for example, from where the traveler will need to cross the ferry boat, take the road and then a boat. .

The entire extension of the island is a national preservation area and the residents are considered traditional peoples. There is also the quilombola community of Monte Alegre, which maintains old customs of fishing and shellfish gathering and holds popular culture festivals.

The island’s vibe attracts different audiences: electronic music New Year’s Eve parties, families, backpackers and, since the beginning of the pandemic, digital nomads, who spend time there. A paradisiacal place, marked by the tide, which rises and falls; by the sun that is always present and by the stars and moon, always shining and guiding paths.

May Boipeba maintain its originality and may no venture threaten its traditions and beauty. The great strength and differential of the island are precisely its native residents. May the next generations be able to appreciate its beauty, without destroying or mischaracterizing it.

PRESENT LINK: Did you like this text? Subscriber can release five free hits of any link per day. Just click the blue F below.