Estimativa do consumo de lenha no setor residencial do semiárido paraibano.

Abstract

The main objective of this dissertation is to evaluate the fuel wood consumption of the residential sector in three sub-regions of the semi-arid region of the State of Paraiba: Curimatau, Cariri and Serido. This is done by developing a method based on the concept of homogeneous region, with the residences classified as urban and rural. The fuel wood consumed per day in these residences was weighed by manual scales. The standard error was less than 5%. The principal variables that strongly condition fuel wood consumption in the residential sector were analysed. These are the range of the nominal family income, the number of persons per meal, the type of kitchen, the habits in operating the fireplace, the distance from the wood source and the relation between the fuel consumption when there is only one fireplace using wood as fuel and when there exists another cooking range. The operation of the local fuel wood distribution system, the social relations involving wood collection, the difficulties to maintain sufficient stock and, above all, the impact of the fuel wood consumed in the residences on the environment, are clearly explained. The results obtained demonstrate that rural and urban fuel wood consumptions have distinctcharacteristics, the consumption being higher in residences without a second cooking range and there exists a direct relation between fuel wood consumption and income group. It is further observed that domestic wood consumption varies from one sub-region to another.