Mídias sociais e conservação: áreas protegidas costeiras do Brasil no Instagram

Abstract

Protected areas play an essential role in biodiversity conservation and the maintenance of ecosystem services. The visibility and social support for these territories can be influenced by various factors, including their presence on digital media platforms. In this context, this study aimed to analyze social media posts about Brazilian coastal protected areas, focusing on Instagram, with an emphasis on the relationship between the area’s category of use (e.g., National Parks, Environmental Protection Areas, Extractive Reserves, Natural Monuments, Biological Reserves) and public engagement on this platform (i.e., the total number of likes and comments on the analyzed posts). The research explored how different categories of protected areas, as defined by the National System of Protected Areas (SNUC), influence their visibility and the types of content shared by platform users. Strictly protected areas, such as National Parks, were the most represented in posts, suggesting higher visibility and engagement. In contrast, sustainable use areas, like Extractive Reserves (RESEX), and areas with visitation restrictions, such as Biological Reserves (REBIO), had a lower digital presence. The analysis revealed that the diversity of activities conducted in protected areas, such as leisure, physical activities, wildlife and flora sightings, and other experiences (e.g., landscape photography, promotional posts, selfies, and posts unrelated to the site), directly influences the level of public engagement. Areas offering a wider range of recreational and leisure activities, such as trails and guided tours, tend to have higher levels of online interaction and engagement. The presence of official profiles for these areas also plays an important role in increasing the visibility of posts, although other factors, such as content quality and communication strategy, also affect the reach and interaction with followers. Another important aspect identified was the limitation of organized information about protected areas on institutional websites, which can hamper public access and knowledge about these spaces. In this context, the integration of social media with well-structured digital communication strategies can be an essential tool to raise awareness and strengthen social support for conservation efforts.