Non-formal environmental education and ecological awareness in native communities of the Central Jungle of Peru: a mixed study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47606/ACVEN/PH0483Keywords:
non-formal environmental education, ecological awareness, ancestral knowledge, native communities of the Central Jungle of Peru, solid waste management, biocultural conservationAbstract
This study analyzed non-formal environmental education and ecological awareness in native communities in the Central Jungle of Peru, in a context of forest degradation and limited waste management. The objective was to identify its practical significance from the perspective of students at the Juan Santos Atahualpa National Intercultural University of the Central Jungle and parents in communities in Satipo (Junín). A mixed triangulation design was used: a survey of students and open interviews with families in situ. The results show that environmental care is based on intergenerational norms and learning, expressed in restrictions on logging, hunting, and fishing, the use of organic fertilizers, and the protection of medicinal plants perceived as scarce. In terms of waste, community practices of disposal and separation were observed, but difficulties in managing non-biodegradable materials persisted. Overall, this study provides empirical (mixed) evidence that non-formal education based on traditional knowledge supports environmental care practices and can guide community actions in the face of socio-environmental pressures.
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