Los servicios ecosistémicos del arbolado urbano desde la percepción de los jóvenes de básica secundaria

Abstract

Environmental perceptions are defined as the way in which people understand and value their environment; they determine the behavior of individuals towards the environment and favor the connection of citizens with nature. In this sense, education in ecosystem services is essential to develop knowledge, skills and values that promote perceptions of care and respect for ecosystems. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the change in the perception that young people have about the ecosystem services of urban trees after the implementation of a didactic unit of forestry education, as part of the curriculum of basic secondary education. To fulfill this objective, a 38-affirmation questionnaire was designed to allow the identification of the perceptions that young people have about the ecosystem services of urban trees. The research is exploratory with a mixed focus and longitudinal character. The results show that it is possible to generate changes in the perception of young people about the ecosystem services of urban trees, based on their approach as part of the formal curriculum in basic education. The designed questionnaire constitutes a starting point for the investigation of perceptions about the ecosystem services of urban trees. Additionally, the didactic unit designed allows the approach of forestry education to an academic space of basic education.