Uso de madeira para combustível e seu impacto na vegetação nativa da caatinga: um olhar a partir da percepção local no assentamento Che Guevara, Traipu – AL

Abstract

The use of plant species to generate energy, such as firewood and charcoal, is very common, especially in developing countries, where this practice, in addition to meeting the needs of cooking and heating, also plays a significant cultural role in many societies. However, when this activity is accompanied by the unsustainable use of wood to generate fuel, it can trigger the extinction of local target species, consequently also affecting the functioning of the surrounding ecosystems. In some places, this practice is quite significant, as is the case in the Che Guevara Settlement, where the use of wood takes on particular characteristics, reflecting not only the local culture, but also the challenges imposed by environmental degradation and climate change. With this in mind, this paper aims to report the experience of discussing and diagnosing the use of wood for fuel, characterizing the consumption, collection and local perception of firewood and charcoal in the community, through the holding of a participatory workshop. The species used, the changes observed in forest cover and their perceptions about the most threatened species, species with fast growth and also with the capacity to regenerate after being cut, were discussed, making it possible to identify timber species that can be cultivated in reforestation programs or integrated into agroforestry systems. It was concluded that species such as angico and marmeleiro are strategic for propagation in energy plantations, since they are the most used for charcoal and firewood, respectively, in addition to being among those with the greatest potential for regeneration and the fastest growth.