Timber Exploitation in Colonial Brazil: A Historical Perspective of the Atlantic Forest

Extensive timber exploitation during the colonial period in Brazil significantly altered the Atlantic Forest's vegetation, contributing to the current rarity and endangerment of once-abundant species. This study reveals that historical records, when analyzed through an interdisciplinary approach combining historical, botanical, and ethnobotanical methods, can provide critical insights into past harvest impacts on local forests. By developing a standardized protocol for folk names of timber trees, researchers bridged historical data with ecological information, despite the scarcity and contradictions in archival material. The findings underscore the long-term consequences of colonial-era resource extraction on biodiversity conservation efforts today.

Maioli, V., Belharte, S., Stuker Kropf, M., & Callado, C. H. (2020). Timber Exploitation in Colonial Brazil: A Historical Perspective of the Atlantic Forest. Historia Ambiental Latinoamericana Y Caribeña (HALAC) Revista de La Solcha, 10(2), 46–73. https://doi.org/10.32991/2237-2717.2020v10i2.p74-101