Dunes are sandy relief forms generated by the action of the wind. They have great environment importance for propitiating the formation of water-bearing, create environments of high ecological potential and to form sediments for areas where these are necessary in the maintenance of the natural balance (coastal plains, fluvial plains). Beyond these elements of natural order, the dunes have great scenery appeal, what it is transformed into extremely sighted landscapes of the point of view of activities directed toward the tourism and the leisure.

In Brazil, the dunes are particularly developed especially along the northeastern coastal zone. However, though this importance, specific studies still are little developed, over all aspects. Some generating centers of production come, however, developing basic research on the subject - it is the case of the south of the Country, especially the states of Rio Grande Do Sul and Santa Catarina, where already exists relative accumulation of research on coastal dunes, as well as more dedicated researchers on this subject. In São Paulo and Bahia, generating center of research on coastal and continental dunes come agglutinating itself around some researchers. In the northern Northeast, where it is found the greaters and more significant fields of Brazilian dunes, of magnitude and also world-wide importance, a center of research on coastal dunes comes being structurized in the state of Ceará, but it still has little insertion of important number of researchers.

Inspite of the little specific Brazilian production directed toward dunes, the interest of world-wide recognized researchers in relation to the Brazilian dunes is sufficiently significant - thus it is that today exists research projects in progress involving the biggest world-wide specialists in the states of Rio Grande Do Sul, Santa Catarina and Ceará. However, it has enormous discrepancy between the accumulated knowledge by these specialists and the Brazilian researchers. The international researches have being coming annually to Brazil, participating of scientific expeditions, publishing articles in team - but still, they control the scientific knowledge. Therefore, it makes urgent and necessary the formation of new researchers and the consolidation of the existing groups in the production of the knowledge on coastal and continental dunes, suitable on this form with the importance of the Brazilian dune field and with the necessity of ingression in the local academic production of the world-wide scene.

To foment the development of research groups involving professors, post-graduation and graduation students directed toward the knowledge of the origin, evolution, management and of sustainable use of dune systems, as well as to implement scientific exchanges with international centers in which these subjects are developed.

The form and the place of the accomplishment of the event, the first in Brazil and the fourth in the world, will propitiate such integration and foment. With effect, the symposium will be carried through in the Jericoacora beach, where the dune fields are only - they represent the biggest individual barchan dune field in coastal zones in the whole world, with single dunes completing 500 to 600 meters width and extension, with 55 to 53 height and age up to 1.200 years. To allow the discussion in full center of this magnificent dune field, appropriate tents will be set up to the equipment handling in strategical places, with the support of the Instituto Brasileiro de Recursos Renováveis - IBAMA, Secretaria de Turismo and Secretaria da Ciência e Tecnologia of Ceará, and City halls.

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