Utilização de trilhas sensitivas ambientais como estratégias para o desenvolvimento da educação ambiental e representação do meio ambiente

Abstract

This study aimed to understand how an environmental sensory trail contributes to the development of environmental awareness among higher education students, considering environmental representations expressed through photographic records and reflections produced during the activity. The experience was carried out with 11 students from the Biological Sciences Teaching Degree program, enrolled in the Environmental Education course. The research employed participant observation and qualitative analysis of the photographs generated along the trail, using as a reference the environmental representation categories proposed by Sauvé (2005), which understand the environment as nature, resource, problem, system, and place to live. The interpretation of the photographs included biotic and abiotic elements, as well as sociocultural aspects identified throughout the experience, in accordance with the systemic understanding of the environment presented by Reigota (2002). The results showed that immersion in a natural environment expanded participants’ perceptions of the environment and the interdependent relationships among soil, water, vegetation, climate, and human presence. The images revealed not only the recognition of natural resources, such as fruits, water, and soil, but also situations of environmental degradation, which stimulated critical reflections on environmental impacts and collective responsibilities. Additionally, the formation of affective bonds and a sense of belonging to the visited site was identified, strengthening attitudes of care and preservation. The environmental sensory trail demonstrated significant pedagogical potential for the education of higher education students, especially in programs related to Environmental Education and allied fields, promoting learning oriented toward sustainability, responsible management of natural resources, and the construction of a critical and socially engaged environmental awareness.