A contingent valuation study of buriti ( Mauritia flexuosa L.f.) in the main region of production in Brazil: is environmental conservation a collective responsibility?

Irlaine R Vieira,Kelly P P Santos,Geisiane O Silva,Jefferson S Oliveira,Fábio J Vieira,Roseli F M Barros

doi:10.1590/0102-33062016abb0115

Irlaine R Vieira, Kelly P P Santos + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-33062016abb0115

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The immature leaves of the buriti palm (Mauritia flexuosa) are widely harvested in the municipality of Barreirinhas, Maranhao, for the production of handicrafts, which are sold to locals and tourists. The increasing demand for these artisanal goods is stimulating the emergence of an informal market for immature buriti leaves, leading to an intensification of their extraction and resulting in negative effects on local buriti palm populations and the ecosystem. Thus, the objective of the present study was to assess the environmental value of the buriti palm tree based on the maximum willingness to pay (WTP) for its conservation, using the contingent valuation method. Among the respondents, 99.74% reported that the palm species should be protected and the majority of them (65.75%) agreed to pay for its conservation (annual WTP R$ 179.49 ± 222.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the WTP was not influenced by the socio-economic profile of the respondents. The main reasons for non-WTP are related to dissatisfaction with the government and the belief that financial contributions would not solve problems of environmental damage. Overall, the evaluated population believes that environmental conservation is not an obligation of the government or that of the population, but is a collective responsibility.

Highlights

Mauritia flexuosa, popularly known in Brazil as buriti (Henderson et al 1995), is a dioecious species of palm with a solitary cylindrical trunk reaching up to 40 m in height
The immature leaves of the buriti palm (Mauritia flexuosa) are widely harvested in the municipality of Barreirinhas, Maranhão, for the production of handicrafts, which are sold to locals and tourists
The objective of the present study was to assess the environmental value of the buriti palm tree based on the maximum willingness to pay (WTP) for its conservation, using the contingent valuation method

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Introduction

Popularly known in Brazil as buriti (Henderson et al 1995), is a dioecious species of palm with a solitary cylindrical trunk reaching up to 40 m in height. The species occurs in South America, including Brazil, where it is abundant in the northeastern states of Ceará, Piauí, and Maranhão (Henderson et al 1995; Oliveira Filho & Ratter 2000; Lorenzi et al 2004). It grows mainly in areas popularly known as “veredas” or “buritizais,” which are swampy or flooded locations with poorly drained soils, (Ivanauskas et al 1997; Toniato et al 1998). The trunk is used in the construction of homes, small bridges, piers, fishing boats, and home furniture (Santo & Coelho-Ferreira 2012; Ribeiro et al 2014), and its mature leaves and the fibers extracted from immature leaves are used as material for handicrafts (Magalhaes & Coelho-Ferreira 2007; Schmidt et al 2007; Sampaio et al 2008; Eichemberg & Scatena 2011)

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