Paths of the landscape

This study investigated the relationships between land use and cover changes, territorial dynamics, and perceptions regarding water availability in the municipality of Leme-SP, located within the UGRHI-09 region. The objective was to analyze how farmers and non-farmers perceive changes in the landscape and water availability, linking these perceptions to technical data and spatial analyses. Secondary data were used to characterize rural properties and landowners, including the 2017 Agricultural Census, LUPA Project, and SICAR-SP. Water use rights were identified through DAEE-SP and the River Basin Plan (SIGRHi), while land use changes between 2000 and 2021 were obtained from the MapBiomas project. Fieldwork involved 32 semi-structured interviews (16 farmers and 16 non-farmers), analyzed through descriptive statistics and categorical content analysis. The results indicate that local perceptions largely align with public data and technical analyses: predominance of sugarcane monoculture, urban expansion, a reduction in native vegetation cover (12.6%), and increased pressure on water resources (47% of water grants for irrigation and aquaculture). Most respondents (90.63%) associated forests with improved water quality and quantity, and 84% advocated for forest expansion. Regional climate and hydrological data corroborated perceptions regarding rainfall changes and reduced water availability. The findings reveal affective and productive ties to the territory, critical awareness of landscape changes, and the complexities related to deterritorialized exploitation. The study highlights the importance of considering social, cultural, and subjective dimensions in the design of public policies and territorial planning.