Sail and observe: perceptions of cultural ecosystem services according to the participants of the social project “Escolinha de Vela Rio São João” (RJ)

Abstract

In 2015, the socio-sports project “Escolinha de Vela Rio São João” was created to introduce water sports as an educational tool for children and teenagers at social risk in the region. The objective of this work was to evaluate the cultural ecosystem services of Rio São João from the perspective of the members of the social project. The study took place at the project headquarters through semi-structured interviews with the participants, followed by an analysis of the interviews. The results showed a positive correlation between aesthetic ecosystem cultural services and leisure and tourism services. Among the aesthetic services, the scenic beauty of the sunset, the view of Morro de São João, and the broken bridge stood out, while those of cultural heritage, based on learning associated with rivers, also stood out. The perception of ecosystem cultural (dis)services also showed a high frequency among respondents, especially those (dis)services associated with pollution and dangerousness in some places on the São João River. This study concluded that the cultural ecosystem services relevant to the project participants are those related to leisure, aesthetics, and cultural heritage learning. Social projects are created to change the reality of children, adolescents, and even adults in situations of social vulnerability. Thus, the preservation of the environment in which this project carries out its activities is crucial to fulfilling its function.