Educação Ambiental e Queimadas no Cerrado: Percepção de Discentes do Ensino Fundamental no Município de Uruçuí, Piauí

Abstract

Cerrado is the second largest biome in South America, having a rich biodiversity. In addition, this biome has a great economic potential since the climate and soil are suitable to several agricultural activities. This biome has been suffering from several environmental problems in recent years, so it is important that people are aware of it, to minimize the negative impacts resulting from these activities. The aim of this work was to understand the perception of students from a public school in the municipality of Uruçuí, Piauí, about Environmental Education and the problems related to fire in the Cerrado. A questionnaire containing 19 objective and subjective questions was applied. In total, 98 students participated in the survey, of which 48% said they had never heard of the Cerrado. In addition, 53% said they had never participated in awareness-raising activities about burning in the Cerrado, either at school or outside, although they had already participated in some activity about the environment inside or outside the school. In general, students have limited knowledge on the subject. Therefore, it is important that schools actively participate in the constructive process of social awareness since they act as promoters of practical actions that lead students to create a critical sense and consequently become active in the social context in which they live