Examines the natural history, management, and economics of the babassu palm forest in frontier areas of the Brazilian Amazon. This palm provides half a million people with a market and subsistence products and it plays a crucial role in the recovery of landscapes damaged during frontier expansion. Regional development policies are undermining this species. The authors explore the bounty of the babassu and the factors leading to its decline. They then explore policy alternatives that could promote a sustained use of the palm forests and enhance the welfare of rural populations.