‘Passport to the forest’: regulations on balata extractivism in the Paru State Forest, Pará, Brazil

Abstract This article reflects on the forms of organization practiced by a Brazilian extractivist group in order to implement terms of use as a way of regulating the extraction of balata (Manilkara bidentata) from the Paru State Forest (FLOTA Paru) in the State of Pará, Brazil. These reflections emerged from first-hand participation and from observations amassed during research and extension projects that permitted regular contact with the participants in this activity. The research was carried out in the municipality of Monte Alegre, where the FLOTA Paru includes seven forest management units intended for forest concessions within the scope of Brazil’s public forest management legislation. This regulation and the decree that regulates its provisions served as the base for the terms of use which were presented by the state to the balata extractors as a condition for continuation of their traditional activities within the local conservation unit mentioned above. However, the implementation of these terms of use faces challenges and issues suggesting that this mechanism is not well-suited for the social and cultural features of this local group, considering the relations between this group and the state.