Salvador: Ilha de Maré Plan

The Ilha de Maré Plan consisted of the participatory development of an integrated territorial development strategy for one of the main island and traditional territories of Salvador. Located in the “Bay of All Saints” (Bahia de Todos-os-Santos) and composed largely of Black and quilombola communities, the island has historically faced challenges related to access to public services, urban infrastructure, and development opportunities.

The initiative involved a broad process of community participation, with meetings and listening activities held across different areas of the island. This allowed residents, community leaders, and local organizations to directly contribute to the territorial diagnosis and to the definition of intervention priorities. Developed between 2021 and 2022, a period still marked by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the process required methodological adaptations to ensure the continuity of social participation and the sanitary safety of participants.

The implementation of the plan was carried out through a collaborative governance model that mobilized different municipal departments and institutional partners, integrating policies related to infrastructure, mobility, health, social assistance, and local development.

This approach not only aligned territorial demands with the broader guidelines of the municipal strategic planning framework—strengthening intersectoral coordination within public administration—but also resulted in the development of a structured plan organized around strategic axes and short-, medium-, and long-term objectives, guiding public investments and urban policies in the territory.

Among the results observed are improvements in urban infrastructure, expanded access to public services, and the implementation of new facilities and initiatives in the territory, directly benefiting around five thousand residents of the island. The initiative also strengthened dialogue between the municipal government and local communities, contributing to the institutionalization of citizen participation mechanisms in the region and in the implementation of public policies.

Beyond guiding concrete interventions, the experience consolidated a model of territorial planning oriented toward island territories and traditional communities, generating lessons that may inspire other cities interested in promoting more inclusive, resilient, and democratic urban development.

More information:
https://geo.salvador.ba.gov.br/portal/apps/sites/#/salvador-dados/pages/planos-urbansticos-fmlf

https://www.oidp.net/docs/repo/doc1910.pdf