Anthropogenic use of gallery forests in the Brazilian Pampa

Abstract

As effect of demographic growth in the last decades, many cities in Southern Brazil experienced a degradation process of conservation areas. In this study, semi-structured interviews and a phytosociological inventory were employed to assess the effect of anthropogenic use of tree species of the gallery forest in the Brazilian Pampa. Eighty-four informants were interviewed and listed a total of 43 tree species, belonging to 23 botanical families. Four categories of use were identified for the referenced species: firewood, medicinal, food and timber. The three most important species were Blepharocalyx salicifolius, Eugenia uniflora and Salix humboldtiana. The phytosociological inventory suggests that the anthropogenic exploitation of the gallery forests is leading some tree species to local threat and/or extinction. Aiming to preserve the gallery forests, we suggest the re-evaluation of the local people attitudes, towards a sustainable use of the gallery forests and the reforestation of the river margins with native species producing palatable fruits, enabling the exploitation of non-wood products, as well as the establishment of animal species in this environment.