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Brazil nut collection is an important sustainable industry in Tambopata and brings in around ten million dollars per year to this region of Peru. Want to give it a try? Here’s how...
1. Obtain a concession: Each concession has an average of 5 trees per hectare.
2. Wait for the fruits to fall: The fruits usually fall to the ground in the months of January and February. It is dangerous to enter the forest during this time as the fruits are very dense and can cause injuries if they land on your head.
3. Gather your family and friends: People often go in groups to gather the Brazil nuts and camp out on their concession for several days in March.
4. Collect the fruits: Use a three-pronged stick and put them in a large basket strapped to your back. Gather the fruits in a large pile and use a machete to open each one to reveal 15 to 20 nuts inside.
5. Carry out the nuts: Put all the nuts in a sack that will weigh around 60 kilos (132 pounds) and hike to your house in town.
6. Prepare the nuts: Wash and dry the nuts on a platform about one meter above the ground. Shell the dried nuts and they are ready for consumption and exportation.
A few facts about the Brazil nut industry in Tambopata:
● The enormous Brazil nut tree is found in the emergent layer of the canopy and can live to be 1200 years old.
● One Brazil Nut tree produces between 300 and 400 fruits per year (about 120 kilos or 265 pounds of shelled nuts).
● Each fruit contains 15 to 20 nuts.
● The principle disperser of the Brazil nut is the Brown Agouti. This rodent gathers the nuts, stores them for future consumption in the ground, but forgets some of the seeds allowing them to sprout.
● Over 20% of Peru’s region of Madre de Dios is covered by Brazil nut forests.
● 20,000 people Tambopata base part of their livelihood on gathering Brazil nuts.
Learn More about Brazil nuts and Madre de Dios, Peru: http://www.tambopataecotours.com
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