The domestic use of firewood in rural communities of the Caatinga: How seasonality interferes with patterns of firewood collection

One of the main methods of extracting vegetation from the Caatinga is the cutting of wood for firewood. However, despite its social importance and its capacity for having environmental impacts, there are no studies that evaluate the dynamics of the collection of this resource in relation to temporal factors in the semi-arid regions of Brazil. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to show that the seasonality of the savanna climate might influence local patterns of collecting firewood. Between December 2008 and February 2010, interviews and eleven in situ inventories were performed in the residences of two rural communities in the municipality of Soledad in the state of Paraíba (Northeast Brazil). During the in situ inventories, all stocks were measured (m³), and species diversity was recorded. A total of 22 species were cataloged, but the pressure of collection was not distributed across all plants; there was a small group of species that were collected throughout the year, and these were found more frequently and with greater abundance in the residences. Although species richness was not influenced by seasonality, the volume of wood varied significantly between the dry and rainy seasons. More collections are performed in the dry season, and the local vegetation suffers greater extraction pressure from this use. The results obtained reinforce the need for studies that examine the potential for regrowth, plant productivity after selective cutting and the resting time necessary before performing a new cutting cycle, as this is the only way to better understand the implications regarding the use of firewood and its effects on local conservation.

► Evaluate the patterns of collection of firewood over the course of the year. ► The pressure of collection was not distributed across all plants, but in a small group of species. ► Species richness was not influenced by climatic seasonality of the region. ► The volume of wood varied significantly between the dry and rainy seasons. ► It’s necessary studies that examine the potential for regrowth and plant productivity after cutting.