Local representation of change and conservation of a Brazilian Caatinga refuge

The Brazilian Caatinga is one of the most threatened tropical dry forests in the world, mainly due to habitat fragmentation from anthropic activities. However, mountainous regions in the Caatinga are refuges of biodiversity, with high plant species richness, which are used for various purposes by local human populations. The present study sought to identify the local ecological knowledge of rural communities on a mountain in the semiarid region of Brazil, which is a refuge of biodiversity. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with key informants selected using the snowball sampling technique. According to the informants, the mountain helps recall memories of previous landscapes, which are linked to the biodiversity that it contains and its importance as a source of resources and influence on local rainfall regimes. For local populations, the conservation of Caatinga biodiversity represents the preservation of fauna and flora, the permanence of ecosystem functions and the resilience of intrinsic values related to maintaining their activities.