Manejo de Attalea funifera (Arecaceae) pela comunidade extrativista de São Francisco do Paraguaçu (Cachoeira, Bahia, Brasil)

Abstract

Attalea funifera (piaçava) is an endemic species of the Atlantic Forest with a restrict distribution between the states of Bahia and Alagoas, where their fibers are an important source of income for some extractivist communities that manage it using traditional knowledge. The objective of this study was to characterize the Attalea funifera management made by extractivists from community of São Francisco do Paraguaçu, Cachoeira, Bahia, located in the Reserva Extrativista Marinha Baía do Iguape. Field trips were made to characterize the environment and extractivists were interviewed to obtain information about the community and extractivism of piaçava. Three stages involved in the management of piaçava were recorded: (1) the fiber extraction of the palms located in the forest remnants near the community; (2) processing that refers to the cleaning and separation of fibers from the raw material; and (3) the marketing of fibers among extractivists, intermediaries and external buyers. The majority (81%) of 21 interviewees work in other economic activities such as fishing (62%), extraction of other forest resources (38%), building construction (14%) and agriculture (14%). Only 4(%) works exclusively with Attalea funifera. Most of the extractivists are aged between 25 and 50 years. There was observed no interest from young people to work with the management of piaçava in the community of São Francisco do Paraguaçu. Men presented a higher participation (72%) in the extractivism of A. funifera than women, since they participated in all stages of the extractivism of the piaçava and women were only observed during the work in the processing phase. In the forest remnants located near the community of São Francisco do Paraguaçu was observed a strong anthropic pressure due to the cut of the forest species for timber extraction. The absence of piaçava fibers in the remnants near the community and the presence of dead individuals of Attalea funifera result of the incorrect cut, excessive extraction of fibers per palm resulting in overuse of the resource, as well as changes in the floristic composition of the remnants due to the selective cut of forest species, indicate that the management does not occur in a sustainable manner. In the current scenario it is necessary to look for alternatives that make the management of A. funifera in San Francisco do Paraguaçu sustainable, as socio-environmental projects that link the knowledge of universities and traditional populations, the creation of cooperatives and the deliberation of collective agreements to regulate access to palm trees, as well as the elaboration of management plan of the specie to ensure the conservation and integrity of forest remnants located around São Francisco do Paraguaçu.