O brotar das águas e o fluir da vida: integração dos saberes socioambientais na escola e na comunidade

Abstract

Water is essential to environmental balance, it sustains life, shapes the landscape and guides human activities. Its availability, however, faces challenges such as waste, pollution, lack of conservation and irresponsible exploitation, especially in agribusiness, agro-industry and industry. The discharge of liquid effluents without adequate treatment intensifies pollution and compromises ecosystems. These problems are exacerbated by the destruction of springs and the removal of riparian forest, affecting local communities and the environmental balance. Springs such as those of the Águas Claras creek, of the diffuse type, located in the Araçás community in Estância/SE, play a crucial role in the hydrological and socioenvironmental system. They are responsible for bringing groundwater to the surface, feeding watercourses, sustaining biodiversity, regulating the microclimate and providing essential water resources for supplying communities. Given this context, the research analyzes the integration between school and community, supported by environmental education, to strengthen socio-environmental relations in favor of conserving these springs. The dissertation is structured around the tripod of community, school and water, seeking to contribute to building an environmentally committed and balanced society. The methodological approach is applied, based on the post-structuralist method, and combined qualitative and quantitative techniques, such as a literature review, direct observations, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and conversation circles. The participants included elementary school students, community residents and representatives of public and private organizations. The articulating axis of the research was the training of the Guardians of the Springs, carried out through formative, theoretical and practical meetings focused on socio-environmental responsibility, recovery of degraded areas and signposting of the recovered space. As part of this training, a didactic guide was produced that integrates knowledge about biodiversity, history, culture and the conservation of springs. The proposal links Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 - “Quality Education”, by promoting contextualized and transformative education, and goal 6 - “Drinking Water and Sanitation”, by encouraging the protection of water resources with community participation. The results of the research reveal a worrying scenario in relation to the springs of the Águas Claras creek, marked by signs of degradation, a lack of public policies and fragile protection actions. It was observed that the loss of riparian vegetation, the different land uses in the watershed and the distance between the community, the school and the environment compromise the conservation of these water sources. There is also a lack of consistent socioenvironmental coordination, aggravated by the actions of factories with major interventions in the area and no actions aimed at conserving the springs. The research revealed the need for greater socio-environmental commitment on the part of the productive sectors and public authorities, whose actions are ad hoc and disconnected from local demands. In this scenario, the formation of the Guardians of the Springs proved to be a mobilizing strategy, by promoting the recognition of the springs as a collective heritage and encouraging educational and collaborative practices. The importance of actions that unite education, community participation and environmental management to strengthen the bond with the place, care for the water and a sense of socio-environmental responsibility was highlighted. The inclusion of multipliers broadened the scope of the actions and fostered closer relations with the different social agents in favor of socio-environmental conservation.