[Euterpe oleracea] (AcaÃ) is a forest-dominant palm that is exceptionally abundant in floodplain forests of the Amazon River estuary. Sites where this palm abound are subject to frequent, tide-driven flooding, which imposes serious constraints on conventional forms of agriculture. As a result, local inhabitants are highly dependent on use and management of forest resources. Acaà provides a diverse array of market and subsistence products and indirectly supports a variety of other economic activities. Forests dominated by this palm are subject to various types and intensities of management, which invariably require relatively few inputs and yet appear to significantly increase yields of native forest products. As a result a tight integration can exist between native palm forests and rural communities. It is also the case that palm forests are most viable when they occur on agriculturally marginal sites, which are less subject to competitive and potentially disruptive forms of land use.