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We examined the known and practiced uses of licuri palm (Syagrus coronata) leaves by artisans and the dynamics of leaf collecting in the communities surrounding protected areas in northeastern Brazil. Through interviews, workshops, and guided tours, we assessed person-resource relationships and the varied influences on licuri uses in order to suggest measures for the sustainability of harvest practices. In total, 537 citations referring to the uses of the licuri palm were recorded, which resulted in 31 types divided into four categories: food, handicrafts, construction, and agriculture, with a correlation between the known and practiced uses. The relationship between people and the use of licuri is complex, but the multiple linear regression model showed that the known and practiced uses reflect mainly the influence of income (at least 32%), followed by age (at least 19%). Age, as a variable, can overcome the influence of the variable income to explain the practiced uses. Artisans obey the ordinance restricting leaf collecting to the annual removal of only 3 leaves per plant, but preparing the fiber involves other native forest species. This study indicates that people's responses to the imposed restriction can increase local conservation problems and that scientific studies are needed in order to adjust the guidelines and/or governmental policies for conservation of licuri palm. Such policies cannot be generalized throughout the region.

This research assessed the relationship between students' perceptions and socioeconomic factors in urban and rural communities surrounding Atlantic rainforest protection areas in Pernambuco, Brazil. We tested whether the utilitarian concept of forests has a determining role in the student community's perception of protected areas. The study was conducted in eight schools in communities surrounding three protected areas, through questionnaires for 410 middle and High school students. The majority of students highlighted the utilitarian importance of forests, but approximately 60% of students did not answer the question regarding the importance of protected areas, displaying a disconnection between perceptions of forests and of protected areas. The students' environmental perception index was significantly different between rural and urban zones, but in both zones, on average, protected areas had a positive utilitarian importance, exclusively related to the protection of nature. Negative aspects of the students' perceptions of protected areas were related to social problems such as lack of law enforcement and land expropriation. Schooling and residence setting had a small (6.7%) but significant influence on student perception. Our results indicate that environmental managers in protected areas need to promote meaningful interaction with student communities from rural and urban settings, to increase the efficiency of these areas and to conserve biological diversity.