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This paper presents the general characteristics of this research aimed to studying the mechanisms used to collect wood by hunter-gatherers, living on the northern shore of San Matías gulf during the last six thousand years. The collected wood was used to build ires where these groups would crack the shells of the collected shellish. This paper also shows a synthesis of the irst results obtained in three archaeological localities. The results obtained through the charcoal analysis will be discussed taking into account the new data available through pollen analysis. The aim is to evaluate the mechanisms applied to the collection of irewood used during the environmental conditions depicted through the palynological techniques. These mechanisms range from a "random gathering" to a thorough "selection" of the wood types according to the properties that make them optimal to be used as fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]