Firewood consumption in the ceramic activity in Sergipe State, Brazil

Os recursos florestais têm sido utilizados de forma indiscriminada no estado de Sergipe, principalmente pela retirada de madeira nas áreas de caatinga. Esse trabalho teve como objetivos conhecer o consumo e a procedência da lenha utilizada nas fábricas de cerâmica no estado de Sergipe, quantificar o consumo de lenha, caracterizar as fontes e as formas de fornecimento da lenha e calcular o consumo específico da lenha para a atividade. O estudo foi conduzido junto a nove empresas de cerâmica situadas nos municípios de Própria, Santana do São Francisco, Neópolis, Siriri e Capela, onde foi aplicado um questionário semi-estruturado. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que metade do material combustível utilizado pelas empresas é procedente de vegetação nativa da caatinga e de espécies exóticas frutíferas sem plantio de reposição. Sendo assim, é necessário um trabalho de sensibilização e implementação de políticas públicas junto aos ceramistas, com a finalidade de estabelecer formas sustentáveis de obter o material combustível.Palavras-chave: Recursos florestais; gestão florestal; dendroenergia. AbstractFirewood consumption in the ceramic activity in Sergipe State, Brazil. The forest resources have been indiscriminately used in the State of Sergipe, mainly because the wood harvested from the caatinga ecosystem. This work aimed to know the general consumption and the origin of the wood used in ceramic factories in the State of Sergipe. The main objectives were to quantify the consumption of firewood, characterize the sources and forms of supply, and calculate the specific consumption of firewood for the activity. The study was conducted in nine ceramic companies located in the Counties of Propriá, Santana do São Francisco, Neópolis, Siriri and Capela, where a semi-structured questionnaire was applied. The results showed that half of fuel material used by the companies came from the caatinga ecosystem and exotic fruit tree species. Therefore, a conscientiousness work is required, along with the implementation of public policies, in order to establish sustainable ways of obtaining the fuel material.Keywords: Forest resource; forest management; energy of firewood.The forest resources have been indiscriminately used in the State of Sergipe, mainly because the wood harvested from the caatinga ecosystem. This work aimed to know the general consumption and the origin of the wood used in ceramic factories in the State of Sergipe. The main objectives were to quantify the consumption of firewood, characterize the sources and forms of supply, and calculate the specific consumption of firewood for the activity. The study was conducted in nine ceramic companies located in the Counties of Propriá, Santana do São Francisco, Neópolis, Siriri and Capela, where a semi-structured questionnaire was applied. The results showed that half of fuel material used by the companies came from the caatinga ecosystem and exotic fruit tree species. Therefore, a conscientiousness work is required, along with the implementation of public policies, in order to establish sustainable ways of obtaining the fuel material