In this article, we place the environmental education into the context of the management of conservation units (CU) and emphasize its relevancy for the implementation of democratic processes which contribute to the formation of "sustainable societies". We present important concepts to be reflected upon, a brief history of the formation of the UC councils and some of their premises and evaluation indicators, as a contribution to the practice of the managements of such protected areas.
Critical environmental education; Participative management; Democratic sustainability