Percepção Ambiental na Gestão da Bacia Hidrográfica - O Olhar do Comitê da Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Sergipe

Abstract

The environmental degradation that Sergipe River Basin has been experiencing over recent decades is the main reason of this work, in this context, it is remarkable the socio and environmental importance of the Sergipe River Basin Committee, responsible for participative and decentralized management of water resources. From in loco observations during the Committee meetings, in order to understand its functioning, it was possible to identify some difficulties faced between physical infrastructure and logistical support to the effective implementation of a participatory management of the committee as manager council. To understand better the reality of this managing body and its members, a study on environmental perception was carried out, corresponding to the ´background´in search for the analysis and interpretation of reality in terms of relationships between managers and the Sergipe River Basin. Facing the impasse that is established, this work proposed to answer the following question: The environmental perception of the segments that make up the Sergipe River Basin Committee happens in what way, taking into account the socio-economic and cultural diversity with different social roles of the involved actors? The research objective was to verify the environmental perception of the segments that make up the Sergipe River Basin Committee in relation to its management object. The research is based on theoretical and conceptual foundations of environmental perception, content analysis and descriptive statistics. On the research of perception were used semi-structured interview techniques, Game of perceptions, characterization questionnaire of the subjects and analysis of the minutes prepared during the Committee plenary of management 2008/2010. In the various aspects investigated, differences in perceptions were evidenced within and among the segments. With this study it was possible to examine how perceptions are different but at the same time involve a subjective connection among them. We affirm that to investigate the perception of a wholly group is to make interpretative clippings of the mosaic of possibilities that may exist within it. We conclude believing that an investigation of environmental perception may contribute to more contextualized understanding of the environment, stimulating new beliefs and consequently habits of environmental interaction. The environmental perception may contribute to Environmental Education favoring a work of equality of conditions between the worked parts.