Palm heart (Euterpe edulis) production and management in the Brazilian Mata Atlantica.

摘要

Relationships among social, ecological and economic aspects of palm heart (Euterpe edulis) production and management in the Mata Atlantica were examined. A search of forest police and environmental agency files for clandestine production and poaching incidents with palm heart in Sao Paulo, Parana and Santa Catarina revealed that enforcement is ineffective. My review of approved palmito management projects suggests that legal production is unattractive and likely not sustainable. Farmers use many devices to circumvent palm heart production regulations. Implications for conservation and sustainable management of Euterpe are presented with recommendations for policy changes. Ecological factors which influence palm heart productivity include forest stand structure and stocking level (basal area and density of woody plants), both of which were negatively correlated with all palm heart productivity measures (palm density and basal area, number of seed-bearing palms, seedlings, saplings, ingrowth, and radial growth). Bamboo ( Guadua spinosissima) density had a negative correlation with basal area and density of woody species, but no negative impact was observed for palm heart stand structure or growth. Recommendations for silviculture trials to improve Euterpe productivity are provided. Palm heart production had a maximum Soil Expectation Value (SEV) of US{dollar}106/ha assuming a fixed cost of US{dollar}20/ha and a cutting cycle of 10 years. SEV decreased as fixed costs and interest rates increased, but increased with greater ingrowth. Legal constraints on harvesting (9cm dbh limit cutting and maintaining 50 adult palms/ha) resulted in positive SEV values only if fixed costs were very low (e.g., US{dollar}20/ha) and cutting cycles as short as 20 years. Results suggest that modest silvicultural interventions in the forest could increase Euterpe productivity and farm profits while still retaining a functional forest ecosystem.