The land resource studies reported in this paper were developed in the Lagoa Santa Environmental Protection Area (APA Lagoa Santa) with the use of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems. These technologies were applied for land use/cover mapping and monitoring. Two scenarios (1989 and 1997) were chosen for change detection analysis. The area of this study is located in the central region of Minas Gerais state and it was selected due to the presence of important Karstic relief (late Proterozoic calcareous rocks of Bambui group).

The land use/cover data were obtained from aerial photographs (1989) and digital Landsat-TM image (1997). These data were digitized and integrated with the support of a Geographic Information System (SITIM/SGI/INPE). A map of land use/cover change (1989 as 1997) was obtained. Due to the intensity of the antropic activities with the decrease of agriculture land use the temporal analysis has indicated that scenario of 1989 was more disturbed than 1997.
*This research was supported by FIP/PUC-Minas (Fundo de Incentivo a Pesquisa - Projeto 97/001 P)