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The Amazon nut, also known as Brazil nut, is one of the Amazon's most iconic and valuable products. Its harvest, as well as being an essential source of income for many local communities, also plays a crucial role in forest conservation. In this article, we'll explore the harvesting process, the economic and environmental benefits and the cultural importance of this activity.

The Amazon Nut Cycle

Bertholletia excelsa, the tree that produces the Amazon nut, can grow up to 50 meters tall and live for more than 500 years. Its fruit, known as a hedgehog, is a hard capsule containing between 12 and 24 seeds, the famous chestnuts. The chestnut cycle begins with flowering, which takes place during the rainy season, from September to February. After pollination, mainly by large bees, the fruit takes around 12 to 15 months to ripen.

Harvesting

Harvesting the Amazon nut usually takes place between December and March, when the hedgehogs naturally fall from the trees. This process is dangerous due to the size and weight of the hedgehogs, which can cause serious injury if they fall on someone. The collectors, known as “castanheiros”, go through the forest to collect the fallen hedgehogs. This is hard work and requires skill and knowledge of the forest. Once collected, the hedgehogs are split open with machetes or axes to remove the nuts, which are still encased in a hard shell.

Economic and Environmental Benefits 

The Amazon nut is an important source of income for many Amazonian communities. As well as being sold on the domestic market, it is exported to various countries and used in food, cosmetics and oil production. Collecting Brazil nuts promotes forest conservation, as it is a sustainable activity that does not require deforestation. The communities that depend on Brazil nuts have an economic incentive to preserve the trees and the ecosystem around them.

Cultural importance

The Amazon nut has a profound cultural significance for the peoples of the forest. It is present in the daily diet, in rituals and in traditions that are passed down from generation to generation. Gathering is often carried out in family groups, strengthening community ties and ensuring the transmission of traditional knowledge.

Challenges and future prospects

Despite its importance, Brazil nut harvesting faces challenges. Competition with other economic activities, such as livestock farming and intensive agriculture, threatens forest areas that are essential for nut production. In addition, climate change and the decrease in pollination by bees are factors that can negatively impact production. In order to guarantee the sustainability of the harvest, it is essential to invest in forest management practices, encourage the sustainable use of natural resources and promote public policies that value and protect the Amazon nut and the nut growers.

Conclusion

Harvesting the Amazon nut is more than an economic activity; it is a symbol of sustainability and respect for the forest. Preserving this practice is essential not only for local communities, but for maintaining one of the richest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet. By consuming products derived from the Amazon nut, we are supporting the conservation of the forest and the appreciation of the people who inhabit it.