Mariana County, located in the central area of Minas Gerais has confronted several recurrent problems from precarious administration and land use in the last decades. The disrespect of local geological and geomorphological peculiarities, the pressure exercided on the physical environment by the accelerated growth of the population and the lack of public politics of urban planning contributed to the present situation. The complexity of the geological and geomorphological components, associated

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... th varied antropic intervention (inapropriate areas ocupation, deforestation, drainage and landscape alteration, fluvial water polution with effluents and by irregular disposal of solid wastes and debris) have contributed for many environment problems, mainly in the urban areas. The initial focus was the county physical environment study, focusing the environment and geological aspects in a scale of 1:50.000, with the main objective to supply subsidies for territorial planning. Later, from analysis of compiled and produced cartographical documents of the physical environment, that support the biotic and antropic life, were evaluated the general land properties, the land use conflicts and the existent impacts, with the objective to define the capacity of the diferents territorial units. A derived thematic map (recommendation land use) obtained from cartographical documents was the basis for a final physical environment analysis and proposition of adequate measures of land use and settlement. This study was the base for the the Mariana Environment and Urbanistc Law that was approved by the common council in January of 2004.