ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EXPEDITION IN THE PANTANAL: AN INNOVATION IN PUBLIC SECURITY AND SOCIO-EVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

The Environmental Education Expedition in the Pantanal is an intersectoral initiative that brings together public security, environmental education, and social assistance to promote conservation of the Pantanal biome and strengthen riverside communities. Coordinated by the Environmental Military Police (PMA) of Mato Grosso do Sul, in partnership with the Institute of Waters of Serra da Bodoquena (IASB) and other public and private institutions, the annual expedition—launched in 2016 and in its 9th edition in 2024—travels through hard-to-reach areas along the Paraguay River, delivering knowledge, support, and institutional presence to traditional communities. The work involves visits to schools, villages, and settlements, with lectures, workshops, and educational activities focused on environmental conservation and legislation, along with medical and social services. The community policing operates in a preventive and humanized manner, building trust between the State and the local populations. Using a qualitative and quantitative methodology, with bibliographic review and analysis of public testimonials, the study analyzed the Expedition’s outcomes in preventing environmental infractions through the educational and social work carried out with the assisted communities. From 2016 to 2024, a 29% reduction in the annual average of environmental infraction notices was observed, along with a 172% increase in preventive actions during socio-environmental activities. The initiative represents a public policy innovation with potential for replication, combining environmental conservation, social support, and participatory governance. Environmental education acts as a strategic prevention tool, promoting immediate behavioral change, strengthening local belonging, and preparing new generations engaged in defending the Pantanal. Keywords:Environmental Education; Community Policing; Pantanal; Environmental Conservation; SocialInclusion.