Abstract

Environmental restoration in semi-arid regions requires the selection of intervention areas to consider, in addition to ecological characteristics, social and operational factors capable of ensuring the implementation, maintenance, and continuity of actions. This study aimed to propose socio-environmental criteria to support the selection of priority areas for environmental restoration projects developed within the framework of university extension, based on an experience carried out in rural communities in the municipality of Irauçuba, recognized as an important desertification nucleus in the semi-arid region of Ceará, Brazil. The research is qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory in nature and was based on the systematization of experiences from a university extension project, incorporating discussions on ecological restoration, social participation, and territorial development. The methodological approach involved technical and community meetings, field visits, participant observation, photographic records, monitoring of activities, and comparison between the initial planning and the conditions actually observed in the communities. The results demonstrated that the community of Riacho do Meio, initially selected, presented limitations related to water availability, residents’ participation, and community organization, leading to the redefinition of the intervention area to the Rodeador Settlement, which presented better conditions for the implementation and continuity of the activities. The analysis made it possible to identify three complementary groups of criteria: environmental criteria, involving water availability, regeneration potential, and physical conditions of the terrain; social criteria, related to participation, community organization, the role of local leaders, and the population’s interest; and operational criteria, associated with accessibility, infrastructure, compatibility with local dynamics, and ease of monitoring. Social factors exerted a particularly significant influence on decision-making. As the main contribution, an integrated matrix of socio-environmental criteria is proposed to support the selection of areas in similar initiatives, demonstrating that ecological potential alone does not guarantee the success of interventions and that the sustainability of actions depends on the articulation among the environment, community, operational feasibility, and social participation.

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