Educação ambiental no Jardim Botânico Benjamim Maranhão

Abstract

In the world there are more than 1. 600 botanical gardens. Together, they house the largest collection of species outside of nature. They have about 60,000 endangered species in their habitats over the next three decades. Pollution of air, water, soil, homogeneous forests, industrial and agricultural development, in addition to global climate change, are factors that threaten the natural gene pool and its habitats. Rapid population growth and consumption patterns of exaggeration and waste pose risks to the preservation and conservation of nature. In this scenario, the botanical garden as a scientific space will also become a space for the practice of Environmental Education (EA) and the development of ecological awareness for its employees, visitors and residents, minimizing anthropic impacts and contributing to conservation And preservation of nature. This research was developed in the Jardim Botânico Benjamim Maranhão (JBBM), located in the municipality of João Pessoa, PB in a fragment of Atlantic Forest, with 343 hectares of extension. The research-action methodology was carried out through research on: the history of Botanical Gardens; The EA program and activities carried out by this conservative unit; Bibliographic, documentary and photographic research of its collection; Walking on the trails and observations of biodiversity, whose objective was to build an ecological awareness, about the importance of maintenance and conservation and preservation of this area. Students and teachers from elementary schools, other visitors and residents of JBBM were involved in the research. The results showed that, through the socialization of scientific knowledge with the study participants, discussions about the importance of maintaining the Botanical Garden and the Atlantic Forest with their specimens were included in the school daily life, which contributed to the development of a critical social and environmental awareness, As well as for improving the quality of teaching.