RESuMO:Este estudo investigou os aspectos socioeconômicos e a percepção ambiental das artesãs que subsistem da confecção de artesanato de folhas de carnaúba na Área ABSTRACT:This study investigated the socioeconomic aspects and environmental perception of artisans that subsists making handicrafts of the leaves of carnauba palm (Copernicia prunifera H. E. Moore) in the Delta do Parnaíba Environmental Protection Area, located in Paranaíba municipality, Piauí state. We interviewed 36 artisans belonging to communities Fazendinha, Vazantinha and Pedra do Sal, using semi-structured questionnaires. In parallel, the plant management was followed. The crafts are made by women with age ranging from 20 to 60 years and low education. They live deprived of basic sanitation, schools and public health of quality. The perception about the plant is attributed to carnauba utilitarian features. In the three communities damage to plant involves estate speculation. The artisans of Fazendinha and Vazantinha did not express a conservationist conscience, prevailing capitalist perception. In the community of Pedra do Sal, the artisans promote an environmental conservation. They contact environmental agencies and protest against the devastation of carnauba forest. It was observed that although artisans share the same activity, they have different perceptions of the environment and resource explored. Especially in the Fazendinha community is necessary construction of environmental education to promote a sustainable extraction.

-This work aimed to evaluate the consequences of the monthly extraction of immature leaves in survival, leaf production and reproductive performance of Copernicia prunifera H. E. Moore palm, popularly known as carnaúba. One hundred sixty reproductive adult palms were monitored for 17 months in four extractive communities located at the coast of the state of Piauí. As a result, it was observed that leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds production were reduced in the palm submitted to 50% or 75% monthly extraction. Higher levels of extraction were followed by smaller levels in seed germination. No deaths were observed even in the group subjected to 75% monthly leaves exploration. In order not to produce damage to palm trees development it is suggested that leaf extraction rate should not exceed 25% monthly as well as pausing of extractive activity preferentially during fruit maturation.Keywords: Traditional management; Environmental sustainability; Carnaúba. EFEITOS DO EXTRATIVISMO DE FOLHAS IMATURAS NA PERFORMANCE FOLIAR E REPRODUTIVA DE Copernicia prunifera (Mill.)H.E. Moore RESUMO -Este trabalho objetivou avaliar as consequências da extração mensal de folhas imaturas sobre a sobrevivência, produção de folhas e desempenho reprodutivo da palmeira Copernicia prunifera H. E. Moore, popularmente conhecida como carnaúba. Cento e sessenta palmeiras reprodutivas adultas foram monitoradas por 17 meses em quatro comunidades extrativistas localizadas no litoral do Estado do Piauí. O resultado foi que a produção de folhas, flores, frutos e sementes diminuiu 50% e 75% em palmeiras submetidas à extração mensal das folhas imaturas. Elevados níveis de extração foram acompanhados por menores níveis de germinação de sementes. Não foram observadas mortes, mesmo no grupo submetido à extração mensal de folhas de 75%. Para não causar danos ao desenvolvimento das palmeiras, sugerese um pousio, preferencialmente durante o período de maturação dos frutos, e que a taxa de extração mensal das folhas não exceda a 25%.Palavras-chave: Manejo tradicional; Sustentabilidade ambiental; Carnaúba.

Th e immature leaves of the buriti palm (Mauritia fl exuosa) are widely harvested in the municipality of Barreirinhas, Maranhão, for the production of handicrafts, which are sold to locals and tourists. Th e increasing demand for these artisanal goods is stimulating the emergence of an informal market for immature buriti leaves, leading to an intensifi cation of their extraction and resulting in negative eff ects on local buriti palm populations and the ecosystem. Th us, the objective of the present study was to assess the environmental value of the buriti palm tree based on the maximum willingness to pay (WTP) for its conservation, using the contingent valuation method. Among the respondents, 99.74% reported that the palm species should be protected and the majority of them (65.75%) agreed to pay for its conservation (annual WTP R$ 179.49 ± 222.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the WTP was not infl uenced by the socio-economic profi le of the respondents. Th e main reasons for non-WTP are related to dissatisfaction with the government and the belief that fi nancial contributions would not solve problems of environmental damage. Overall, the evaluated population believes that environmental conservation is not an obligation of the government or that of the population, but is a collective responsibility.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi investigar quais artesanatos estão sendo produzidos e vendidos nos principais destinos turísticos da Região dos Lençóis Maranhenses, Nordeste brasileiro. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório-descritivo, realizado mediante entrevistas aos artesãos das comunidades que abastecem as associações de artesão da Região dos Lençóis Maranhenses e levantamento in loco de quais artesanatos são vendidos. Verificou-se que os artesãos coletam as plantas na região para produzir artesanatos para o uso próprio e para vender para os turistas. A principal planta utilizada é o buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.). Das folhas da palmeira é extraída a fibra para confeccionar enfeites, brinquedos e utensílios domésticos. Os artesanatos estão inseridos na rotina e na cultura dos moradores dos municípios avaliados. A venda do artesanato traz renda e insere os artesãos em uma atividade que permite conciliar a manutenção da cultura e a obtenção de renda, contribuindo para a sustentabilidade cultural do turismo na Região dos Lençóis Maranhenses.

In this article, we investigate the biocultural behavior regarding the use of species of the Euphorbiaceae in the Franco community, Cocal, Piauí State, located in the Semiarid Region of Brazil. For the study, we performed 19 interviews with the home gardens maintainers based on semi-structured interviews, and calculate the Use Value (UV) for each species mentioned by the interviewees. In addition, the importance of socioeconomic factors in this type of biocultural behavior was evaluated. Seven species of the Euphorbiaceae with biocultural emphasis were mentioned, distributed across four genera, which are cultivated for various purposes, including food, medicine, fuel, animal fodder, commercial sale, cultural uses, and others. The species Ricinus communis (“mamona”) presented the highest UV (7.0). Socioeconomic factors did not influence biocultural behavior associated with the use of plants of the botanical family studied. Our findings suggest that documented biocultural attitudes are essential to ensuring the resilience and conservation of biological and cultural diversity.