Trilhas interpretativas: contribuições para a educação ambiental crítica

Abstract

Interpretive trails represent an effective strategy for implementing Critical Environmental Education (CEE), fostering meaningful interactions between humans and nature, while also facilitating the construction of context-based knowledge rooted in lived experience. We argue that CEE must be integrated into both formal and non-formal educational contexts, as well as across various spheres of social life, in response to contemporary environmental challenges that directly affect human existence. This study, conducted within the framework of the Professional Graduate Program in Education (PPGPE) at the Federal University of Fronteira Sul (UFFS) – Erechim Campus, under Research Line 2: Non-formal Education Research – Political-Social Practices, sought to address the following research question: How can the methodology of Critical Environmental Education, implemented through the interpretive trail in the UFFS Forest – Erechim Campus, contribute to the development of critical environmental education practices? The primary objective was to contribute to the organization of CEE practices at the UFFS Forest through the implementation of an interpretive trail, by identifying key principles and themes that support the development of contextualized educational practices grounded in a critical perspective. A qualitative methodological approach was adopted. Data collection procedures included bibliographic research and fieldwork, employing observation and semi-structured interviews. Findings indicate that CEE, when applied through the interpretive trail, enhances individuals' sense of place and fosters deeper connections with nature and its interrelationships. The approach also promotes the recognition of local identity, history, and traditional knowledge. Problematizing these elements facilitates the transition from a naïve to a critical consciousness, thereby stimulating reflective and critical thinking—both of which are essential for initiating transformative changes in human–nature relations. Furthermore, the study identified and contextualized four thematic axes representative of the local reality, which can serve as a foundation for CEE practices along the trail. We contend that by emphasizing locally relevant themes and adopting pedagogical practices aligned with critical environmental education methodologies, it is possible to contribute meaningfully to addressing the environmental crisis and fostering the construction of a new, more sustainable socio-environmental reality.