Outreach Activities: Sharing Knowledge About Biodiversity
Between September and October, Peld Oeste do Pará participated in five outreach and environmental education activities in various settings, including schools, cultural events, and academic gatherings. The goal was to bring science closer to society, promote dialogue, and share knowledge.
Workshop on Animal Tracks and Footprints in the São Pedro Community, Belterra
On September 11, the “Animal Tracks and Footprints” workshop was held at the São Pedro Municipal School, located in the São Pedro community (km 50) in Belterra, on the outskirts of the Tapajós National Forest (FLONA do Tapajós). Led by scholarship recipient Emiliano Fogliatti, the activity included a theoretical discussion of the traces left by animals and a hands-on exercise in making footprint casts using plaster. The workshop introduced participants to one way of identifying the presence of wildlife and learning about the animals that inhabit the region.
The event was held in partnership with the Belterra Municipal Department of Education (SEMED) and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). The school received a copy of the “Guide to Mammals of the Alter do Chão APA and Tapajós FLONA” and the book “Biodiversity in the Tapajós National Forest and the Tapajós-Arapiuns Extractive Reserve.”
Participation in Sairé
On September 18, 19, and 20, POPA participated in Sairé, a traditional cultural and religious event held in the Alter do Chão Environmental Protection Area (APA). During the event, POPA set up a booth at Casa Santarém, displaying scientific outreach and environmental education materials to visitors. Events like this are important for strengthening dialogue with the community and promoting an appreciation for nature.
Wildlife Monitoring Workshop at BADERNA
In honor of Arbor Day, celebrated on September 21, POPA participated in a training activity on wildlife monitoring at BADERNA (Brigade of Friends Defending Ecology and Natural Resources of the Amazon) on the 23rd. The workshop was organized by the João Ricardo V. Gama Academic Center for Forest Engineering (CAEF/UFOPA) and the Amazonian Botany Academic League (LAPIY/UFOPA).
There was a hands-on session on different wildlife monitoring methods: the use of mist nets, presented by Arlison Castro; pitfall traps, presented by Pedro Ganança; and camera traps and track traps, covered by Emiliano Fogliatti and Arlison Castro. There was also a theoretical session led by Prof. Rodrigo Fadini.
“Traces and Footprints” Workshop at BIOSYNC, UFOPA
On October 2, the “Tracks and Footprints” workshop was held once again, this time during BIOSYNC—the 1st Academic Conference on Biological Sciences—at the Rondon Campus of the Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA). The event was organized by the Academic Center for the Bachelor’s Degree Program in Biological Sciences (CACBIO).
During the workshop, copies of the “Guide to Mammals of the Alter do Chão APA and Tapajós FLONA” were also distributed. The guide is available for viewing here on our website, along with a memory game designed to help participants match animals with their respective footprints, as a supplementary resource for environmental education.
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