PALMS AS SOURCE OF NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS IN THE SOUTHERN BAHIA COAST, BRAZIL

Abstract

In this article we present the current information available about palms that occur in the southern coast of Bahia state, Brazil, and their potential uses as non-timber product suppliers (NTFPs) for sustainable forest management. Palms occurrence was obtained from Herbaria data of the Cocoa Research Center (CEPEC/CEPLAC) and Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (HUESC). Twenty-five species from seven genera have been identified. The genera Attalea and Euterpe are the most used palms for NTFPs. About 85% of native palms have potential uses for food products, 20% show potential for handcrafting, 20% are oil source and 4% are used for medicine products. Among the 25 native palm species occurring in Southern Bahia coast, only three are frequently used as source for NTFPs. Despite of the high diversity and their morphological variations, potential uses and adaptation capacity to different environments, the sampled palm species are still poorly studied, concerning their ecology, ethnobotany and management. The current challenge is to design studies and technologies for the adequate transformation of native palms into commercially, socially and ecologically viable NTFPs.