Background: Although multiple studies advocate the advantages of participatory research approaches for ethnoscience, few provide solid contributions from case studies that involve residents in all of the project phases. We present a case study of a participatory approach whose aim is to register ethnobotanical knowledge on the use of plants in two quilombola communities (maroon communities), an important biodiversity hotspot in the Atlantic Forest, Southeast Brazil. Our aim is to provide tools that will empower decision-making related to sustainable use and management among residents.Methods: In phase I, the objectives and activities were defined in meetings with residents to carry out ethnobotanical surveys between two quilombola communities-the Quilombo da Fazenda (QF) and Quilombo do Cambury (QC). In phase II, we offered community partners training courses on how to collect plants and ethnobotanical data. In coordination with the university team and using ethnobotanical methods, community partners interviewed specialists on plants and their uses. In phase III, using the participatory mapping method, residents indicated plot locations and collected plants to calculate the Conservation Priority Index for native species recorded in phase II. Results: In 178 days of fieldwork, two community partners from the QF and three from the QC selected 8 and 11 respondents who reported 175 and 195 plant species, respectively, corresponding to 9 ethnobotanical categories. Based on requests from the local community, booklets and videos with these data were collaboratively produced. A large percentage of species were found to be of great conservation priority-82.1% in the QC and 62.5% in the QF. Virola bicuhyba, Cedrela fissilis, Plinia edulis, and Tabebuia cassinoides are the species most at risk and will be the focus of phase IV, when a participatory management plan will be carried out. Additionally, we present both challenges and opportunities with the hope that others can learn from our successes and failures.
RESUMO Os objetivos desse trabalho foram amostrar e caracterizar o componente arbóreo de florestas maduras da região metropolitana de São Paulo, SP, Brasil, verificar a existência de variações florísticas ao longo dos planaltos da região no sentido litoral-interior e quais fatores ambientais que poderiam influenciá‑la. Além disso, são realizadas considerações sobre a classificação e conservação dessas florestas. Foram amostradas três florestas maduras da região metropolitana, situadas nos municípios de São Paulo (Marsilac), Cotia (Reserva Florestal do Morro Grande) e Itapevi. Em cada localidade foram instaladas duas parcelas de 20 × 50 m com amostragem dos indivíduos com perímetro a 1,30 m de altura do solo PAP ≥ 15 cm. Posteriormente, foram realizadas análises de agrupamento (UPGMA) e ordenação (DCA) com dados de densidade das espécies. O levantamento resultou na amostragem de 943 indivíduos arbóreos pertencentes a 50 famílias, 109 gêneros e 184 espécies; índice de Shannon 4,62, equabilidade de Pielou 0,88, área basal de 46,1 m2 ha-1 e densidade de 1.572 ind ha-1. As análises de agrupamento e ordenação indicaram haver maior similaridade entre Marsilac e Morro Grande, com tendência à formação de um bloco florístico mais homogêneo, enquanto que Itapevi se isolou das demais. Essa variação foi atribuída à existência de um período seco mais acentuado no inverno na região de Itapevi, fator que possibilita a presença de algumas espécies comumente associadas a florestas estacionais semidecíduas. Ainda assim, foi verificado que as florestas da região metropolitana são compostas por uma flora predominantemente ombrófila, com maior ou menor presença de elementos de florestas estacionais semidecíduas, mistas ou frias/úmidas. A alta diversidade das florestas maduras, aliada à presença de uma grande quantidade de espécies raras e ameaçadas, além da escassez desses remanescentes, são razões para proteção e conservação imediata dessas florestas.
82 plant species in 90 recipes for 55 therapeutic uses. These uses were grouped into 12 categories. In addition, a video and booklet were created. Conclusions Data obtained during participatory research show that training local communities in the registration of their own knowledge is feasible and necessary since they register knowledge based on local perceptions, as well as valuing knowledge and approaching the current discussion about intellectual property is a global concern.
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