Children’s environmental perception of protected areas in the Atlantic Rainforest / Percepción ambiental infantil en la selva tropical. Cómo los niños perciben las áreas protegidas de la selva tropical

Abstract

Interaction between children and protected natural environments was analysed in an exploratory method investigation conducted by a multi-disciplinary team in the Atlantic Rainforest. The purpose was to understand the environmental perceptions of children about the natural environment of a biological reserve’s buffer zone in which they live. The specific objectives were: to outline a group profile on environmental perception based on the analysis of drawings made by children; to deepen the understanding of the environmental perception of participants through discussion groups; to compare children’s drawings with photographs. We found similarity between the real landscape and the drawings, betokening the empirical adequacy of environmental knowledge. We argue that protected natural environments provide opportunities for cognitive, affective and social development, in addition to being a direct source of personal significance for their conservation.