Avaliação ambiental econômica da produção de madeira de espécie nativa em dois municípios na Amazônia Brasileira

In Brazil, natural and plantation forests have a strong potential development. However in the Brazilian Amazon, natural forests have not been managed in a sustainable fashion leading to a substantial waste of both timber and other forest products. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the native wood production chain in two logging centers in the state of Par: Paragominas and Novo Progresso. Methods: Before and during the works, there was an extensive bibliographical research to understand how the timber industry operates in the Amazon region. Field research was developed in two distinct logging frontiers: Paragominas, old (occupied for over 30 years) and Novo Progresso (occupied for less than 10 years) to get a more complete picture. Companies of different sizes were interviewed following the production chain approach (extraction, primary processing and finished wood products). Many of the interviewed companies were vertically integrated with operations in the three activities but most of them had operations only in the last two. Results: Most of the interviewed companies did not have their own supplies of round wood, purchasing from third parties becoming vulnerable to shortfalls in other's management plans. Generally speaking in the two logging centers equipment is old and technology outdated. Low investments in equipment and training results frequently in insufficient quality and low value products. Wood residues are high and destination often inadequate.