ForestHarvest: non-timber forest products in Scotland

 RESEARCH

Case study: Brazil nuts

Brazil nuts are produced in the rainforests of the Amazon. The Brazil nut tree can live for more than 1000 years, and grow to immense size. The seeds are held in large woody capsules weighing 1-2 kg. These are opened by forest-dwelling rodents called agoutis, which are responsible for distributing the seeds.

Recruitment of Brazil nut trees is naturally very slow. The distribution of this species across the Amazon appears to have been influenced by indigenous peoples, who may have planted and transported them as sources of food.

• The vast majority of Brazil nuts are gathered from the wild by local people known as castanheros.
• The Brazil nut industry is thought to contribute to the protection of millions of hectares of virtually pristine forest, and provides a major source of income for hundreds of thousands of people.
• Brazil nuts account for about 2% of the world nut market (4% in the 1970s). Since 1980, annual production in Brazil has been about 40,000 tons. In 1986, the total value of shelled and unshelled seeds exported from Manaus alone was $5,773,228.
• Over a ten year period, utilization of a forest for Brazil nut production appears to be more profitable than extracting timber or cutting the forest for pasture.

Article: The Brazil nut industry

Research and development

There is some concern that harvesting pressure is having a negative impact on the recruitment of new Brazil nut trees.

Scientists are looking for ways to take pressure off the wild population by establishing plantations. This requires detailed knowledge of the tree's ecology and pollination system.

Development projects are working to facilitate local processing of the nuts, and to increase the value and range of products produced from them. This can boost the income of local communities, helping to maintain the sustainability of the industry.

Links: Brazil nut research by the Amazon Conservation Association

Rainforest Alliance study announced