CHARACTERIZATION AND TEMPORAL EVALUATION OF FOREST REMNANTS IN THE CITY OF ARARAS, S O PAULO = CARACTERIZA O E AVALIA O TEMPORAL DE REMANESCENTES FLORESTAIS DO MUNICíPIO DE ARARAS/S O PAULO

The Araras’ City presents approximately 5% of its territory represented by remnants of native vegetation, but still, are the target of anthropogenic interventions. This paper aims to diagnose the forests remnants in Araras, through temporal analysis in the periods between 1962, 2000 and 2008. The analyses were performed by means of aerial photos and satellite images CBERS/2008, preselected on scales: 1: 25,000, 1: 30,000 and 1: 20,000. The index of circularity was used as a parameter for measuring the relationship area/perimeter. It was used supervised image classification for evaluating the information on edge effect. Through temporal analysis, it can be seen that in this period the fragments smaller than 10 hectares correspond to more than 50% of native forest remnants. The use of the Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs), some already afforested and other abandoned would allow the formation of ecological corridors, linking the fragments. The index of circularity demonstrated that 13.9% of fragments in 1962 and 7.4% in 2000 had rounded forms and most of them presented elongated form. It was concluded that in 1962, the pattern of deforestation in Araras, was already defined, with 56% of the fragments measuring less than 10 hectares. Currently the fragments are impacted and isolated in the landscape. The recomposition of PPA’s could be an alternative to reduce the degree of isolation. The temporal analysis showed that the area has potential for self- regeneration. = O município de Araras/SP apresenta, aproximadamente, 5% de seu território representado por remanescentes de vegeta o nativa, os quais ainda s o alvo de interven es antrópicas. Este trabalho tem como objetivo diagnosticar os remanescentes florestais de Araras, por meio da análise temporal, no período entre 1962 e 2008. As análises foram realizadas por meio de fotos aéreas datadas de 1962, 2000, e imagens de satélite CBERS/2008, nas escalas: 1:25.000, 1:30.000 e 1:20.000, respectivamente. O índice de circularidade foi utilizado como parametro para aferir a rela o área/perímetro. Utilizou-se a classifica o supervisionada da imagem para avaliar as informa es sobre o efeito de borda. Por meio da análise temporal, p de-se constatar que, nesse período, os fragmentos menores que 10 hectares correspondem a mais de 50% dos remanescentes de mata nativa. A utiliza o das áreas de Preserva o Permanente (APP’s), algumas já florestadas e outras abandonadas, permitiria a forma o de corredores ecológicos, unindo os fragmentos. O índice de Circularidade demonstrou que 13,9% dos fragmentos datados de 1962