Além dos muros da escola: interpretação socioambiental da área de proteção ambiental do Engenho Pequeno e Morro do Castro – SG, RJ

Abstract

The growing process of the São Gonçalo municipality took place in a disorderly way, with the exploitation of its natural resources, industrialization and finally receiving a flood of new residents, that resulted in an accelerated urbanization. The Environmentally Protected Area of Engenho Pequeno and Morro do Castro (APAEP) is a remnant of the Atlantic Forest and has suffered heavy pressure from urban areas. As a strategy for conservingthese areas the practice of environmental education is used, as a tool for sensitization, the environmental interpretation of trails. Therefore, the objectives of this work are understanding how the APAEP environmental interpretation trails can assist in promoting environmental education and changing preconceptions of nature, as well as raise the preconceptions of students on the concept of nature and APAEP; analyzing the APAEP trail of the Mirante, as well as structuring and implementing interpretive points with socio-environmental relevance for teaching purposes, in formal education, performing the exercise “Trilhando a APAEP na escola”. The methodology used is qualitative through research-intervention, allowing the approach of the researcher-researched, providing the act of rethinking, discussing and understanding the problem. The target audience is second grade students of two public schools in the Engenho Pequeno neighborhood. It follows that the naturalistic vision - the romanticized nature - is still prevalent between students; socio-cultural issues are discussed out of environmental context. Therefore, the use of valid non-formal spaces such as the Conservation Unities in promoting conceptual changes promote a socio-environmental vision of nature, thus promoting understanding and mitigation of adverse environmental impacts.