Teaching from the insertion and experience of geomorphological contexts. This is one of the practices of Professor Lutiane Almeida, coordinator of the Georisk Research Group, who at the beginning of this month brought together 25 students from the Degree in Geography at UFRN to closely observe geological structures and landforms, and study the landscape from its context. Course teachers Sebastião Pinheiro da Silva and Francisco Jablinski Castelhano were also present.
From the 1st to the 3rd of December, the academics took a journey to better understand aspects that intersect in Geography studies. “We learned about the semi-arid climate, discussed the causes and effects of recent rains, the geological forms present in the places visited... it was a very interesting learning experience, as we finally saw what was taught in the classroom”, declares Clauber Telles, who participated in the trip.
Student Aline Alves reinforced the trip as a way to better assimilate the content learned in the classroom. “In the case of the Geomorphology discipline, due to its technical nature, going to the field is essential as it allows a more realistic visualization of the different types of relief in different locations, understanding in a more significant way the factors that contribute to their modeling and how each of them contributes systematically to the formation of the landscape”, he explains.
The first stop was in the municipality of Angicos, still in Rio Grande do Norte, where the class could analyze Pico do Cabugi, a volcanic cone that, in addition to its beauty, is an example of volcanism in Brazil. Next, there was a visit to the Açu National Forest, a conservation unit in the Caatinga biome. "I would say that a Northeastern geographer needs to feel firsthand and observe the Caatinga landscape with their own senses. We learned throughout the trip the importance of preserving the Caatinga vegetation, as well as its contribution to the ecosystem of our region", reinforces Telles.
The beach and the mangrove were also the focus of the activity, where it was possible to identify two types of cliffs, active and inactive. Castelhano took the opportunity to address the impacts caused by wind turbines, responsible for wind energy, inviting everyone to think about how such a project affects the lives of local populations and the environment in which they are installed.
There was also a moment of special attention to the identification of reliefs and rocks, with the visit to the Lajedo de Soledade archaeological site, which contains the largest exposure of limestone rock in the Potiguar Basin. The local guides talked about the cave paintings, and the customs and ways of life of the indigenous people who inhabited the place more than 3 thousand years ago. Finally, the last destination was Serra do Martins, where it was possible to observe a landscape of contrasts: on one side the more arid landscape of the Caatinga and on the other, a greener vegetation cover.
Text: Eloisa Loose
Photography: Mariana Silva