Artisans and dugout canoes reveal pieces of Atlantic Forest history

Dugout canoes are boats made from a single tree trunk. Even with the modernization of fishing, they are still made and used for artisanal fishing on the coast of southern and southeastern Brazil and in other regions of the world. Various tree species are used to construct these canoes and choosing a species is related to characteristics of the location, available raw materials and purpose of the boat. Our objective was to better understand the variation in dugout canoes in relation to tree species, tree size and fishing use, over time, along a coastal strip of southern and southeastern Brazil within the Atlantic Forest domain. We interviewed 53 artisans and analyzed 358 canoes that ranged from 1 to around 200 years old. Schizolobium parahyba is currently used the most. In the past, species of the family Lauraceae (Nectandra sp. / Ocotea sp.) were frequently used, as well as Cedrela fissilis and Ficus sp. The size of the canoes varied based on time, coastal region, environment where the boat is used (exposed or sheltered) and type of fishing. The average size of recent canoes was smaller than older canoes for more common species (S. parahyba and C. fissilis), reflecting changes in the vegetation of the biome over time, both in the species and size of individuals available. Latitudinal variation can also influence the availability of tree species along the studied regions. An increase in environmental monitoring has contributed to a decline in constructing dugout canoes, resulting in the use of fiberglass canoes and other motorized boats. Although canoe size varied based on region, location and use, today some of the older canoes represent large trees of the past and pieces of Atlantic Forest history.