ABSTRACT
Golden grass [Syngonanthus nitens (Bong.) Ruhland, Eriocaulaceae] is an important NTFP heavily harvested from the Brazilian savanna (known as the Cerrado). The flower stalks are harvested for basket weaving and other handicrafts. The wet grasslands where it occurs are managed with fire by local communities to improve flowering in the year after fire. In this chapter, we review the local ecological knowledge (LEK) associated with, and the ecological effects of, golden grass harvesting systems. Our objectives are to: (i) describe LEK and management associated with golden grass; (ii) assess ecological effects of harvesting the flower stalks according to local management practices; (iii) investigate effects of local fire regimes on golden grass population dynamics; and (iv) discuss the potential use of golden grass as a flagship species to develop and implement integrated fire management, in order to contribute to effective conservation of natural resources and livelihoods in Cerrado ecosystems.
