Women activities from 9 Atlantic Forest communities and 7 Amazonian river stretches are analyzed. Areas studied include the coast of Rio de Janeiro State and Sao Paulo State , which have been visited in different years, since 1986. Amazonian areas include communities from the Aaguaia Tocantins Basin and from the Upper Jurua Extractive Reserve. Fieldwork was conducted at these areas between 1987-1997, where data were collected through interviews. The economic activities of women include slash and burn agriculture, household/child care, manioc processing, handicraft, plant collecting fishing and tourist house keeping, among others. At some sites, such as at Buzios Island (AF coast), young women avoid agricultural activities and concentrate on house and childcare. At other sites such as Jaguanum Island and at Picinguaba (AF coast), tourism has pushed women to work as housekeepers. Amazonian sites show similar trends, but some women also fish for subsistence. Propositions for local management seldom include women activities, but women may play an important role in traditional medicine, culture diffusion, food processing and trade. An approach based on multiple resource use, and taking resilience as an analytical tool, among other ecological concepts, is proposed.