Trilha interpretativa e educação ambiental no Parque Estadual da Pedra Branca (RJ): circuito Pau-da-Fome

Abstract

Currently, many academic works call for a wider discussion on Environmental Education (EE) and its relationship to various aspects of life in society. The educational focus on nature conservation in environmental studies aims to inform and raise awareness among the population about the negative environmental impacts of their actions. One effective way to engage the public is through activities held in Conservation Units (CU), such as guided or self guided interpretive trails.The Parque Estadual da Pedra Branca, located in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, is a UC subdivided into 3 centers: Pau-da-Fome, Piraquara, and Camorim. The Pau-da-Fome center has two ecological trails: Rio Grande and Mel e Bromeliario. The present study could be an interpretation and instrumentalization of the Rio Grande Trail, which is easy to do and light level. The trail's key points were carefully selected to take a scientific and historical-cultural approach. Once the geographic locations were chosen, their contents were analyzed to prepare the composition of the plates. The trail was planned strategically to showcase phenomena associated with the floristic diversity of the Atlantic Forest, abiotic factors such as the Rio Grande River, and architectural and historical structures like weirs and aqueducts. Nine informative signs were created, each with an illustration and a brief description, along with a QR Code that links to digital content pertaining to the subject on the sign. To grab visitors' attention and promote environmental education and conservation of natural ecosystems, digital posts were shared on social media platforms Instagram, in addition to reliable websites that provided complementary information. On the way, the visitor, when contemplating nature, sharpens the sense of environmental conservation and accesses scientific and historical-cultural content with the help of signs.