In this work, economic relevant data referring to a diagnosis carried out with farmers involved in a forest promotion program in Espirito Santo State were analyzed. In-depth interviews and questionnaires preceded by a pre-test were used for data collection. The Stratified Random Sampling method was used with the following criteria: a) current status of promotion contract (finished and not renewed; in progress and finished; and renewed); b) size of land stratum per municipality. The questionnaires were applied to 235 farmers, in 16 municipalities of 7 microregions of Espirito Santo State, with a sampling intensity of 20.7%. The forest promotion showed to be important for family income composition of the interviewed farmers, and the revenues from the promotion can go beyond the ending of the contractual bond. The program has contributed to the development of other activities in the farms, due to investments made with the profits from the forest promotion, and the importance the farmers attached to silviculture, since 40.9%, 37.8% and 57.2% of farmers in the three strata informed that silviculture with Eucalyptus is the main or secondary activity in the farm. Part of the farmers, after finishing the contract, do not abandon the silviculture activity, which among other facts strengthens the wood market.
Forest promotion; Espirito Santo; forest farmers
