AÇÃO COMUNITÁRIA E SUSTENTABILIDADE: CONTRIBUIÇÕES DO PROJETO MANGUEANDO PARA A EDUCAÇÃO SOCIOAMBIENTAL NO ESTUÁRIO DE CHAVAL

Abstract

The current socio-environmental crisis, intensified by climate change, ecosystem degradation, and social inequalities, highlights the need to rethink dominant development models and the relationships between society and nature. In this context, traditional territories assume a central role as spaces of resistance, knowledge production, and the construction of sustainable alternatives, especially from the perspective of Political Ecology. This study analyzes the contributions of the Mangueando Project, developed in the estuary of the Timonha and Ubatuba rivers in Chaval (CE), to socio-environmental education and the promotion of local sustainability. The research has a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach, based on the analysis of institutional documents, teaching materials, and project reports, as well as a literature review based on the contributions of Enrique Leff and authors linked to Political Ecology, environmental justice, and critical environmental education. The estuary is understood as a territory marked by socio-environmental conflicts, traditional knowledge, and cultural practices associated with environmental conservation. The results indicate that the Mangueando Project constitutes a critical environmental education strategy by integrating science, culture, and traditional knowledge, raising awareness about socio-environmental issues, strengthening the sense of belonging, and valuing the knowledge of fishermen and shellfish gatherers. The educational actions, carried out through workshops, discussion groups, experiences in the mangrove swamp, and cultural activities, contribute to the formation of critical subjects and to the encouragement of sustainable practices. The leading role of women shellfish gatherers and the participation of children and young people as multipliers are also highlighted, demonstrating that sustainability is built through educational, political, cultural, and territorial processes.