Perception and knowledge of college students and staff of the higher education institution regarding campus plant species and natural areas

Abstract

Urban green areas are perceived in different ways by people, depending on cultural, social and sensory factors .A Higher Education Institution (HEI) bringing together a heterogeneity of cultures becomes a research place that may reflect different environmental perceptions. Knowledge of such heterogeneity support the construction of specific environmental education programs. Thus, the objective of this work was to analyze the perception and knowledge of college students and HEI staff regarding the species of flora and natural areas of the university campus. The method adopted was the application of structured interviews with open and closed questions. The data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitative. There were 40 participants, 55% students and 45% staff. The number of species cited by participants ranged from 1 to 11 (± 2.95, SD 2.93). Regarding the natural areas of the campus, the majority of respondents (73%) declared it as "regular" according to their perception, being some form of utility to people the most cited, with the ecological functions being less important. Based on the concept of “plant blindness” the results show that the interviewees have difficulty in understanding the plants in their daily lives. Having said a sustainable posture, we hope that the results can serve as a basis for the planning of Environmental Education projects involving students and staff of the institution and external community in university extension projects that contribute to the reach of an academic community that contributes to its environmental pillar.