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8/8/2019 Conservation of the Amazon via Brazil Nut Trees
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Figure 1: A cracked Brazil nut pod(Ladenheim: 2010)
Karen LadenheimOctober 6, 2010
Amazon Sophomore College
Conservation of the Amazon via Brazil nut trees ( Bertholletia excelsa ):
a nutty proposition?Introduction
Bertholletia excelsa or Brazil nut trees stand out from other popular Amazonian
commodities because they only reproduce in natural, healthy rainforests. For this reason,
they are in a very unique position when it
comes to conserving the Amazon
Rainforest. The Brazil nut industry
constitutes a significant portion of the
economy in Madre de Dios, Peru and raises
the question of whether or not Brazil nuts
actually contribute to the protection of the
regions rainforest. Analysis of research
shows that the industry is demographically sustainable in Madre de Dios because it
promotes adequate recruitment of Brazil nut trees for future generations. In turn, the
international market for Brazil nuts promotes the conservation of natural healthy
rainforest. Despite this positive influence, Brazil nuts are not saving the rainforest.
The industry is not economically sustainable because harvesters, called castaeros,
cannot solely rely on Brazil nut sales to escape poverty. As a consequence, the Brazil nut
industry is not environmentally sustainable; it encourages destructive human behavior
and does not promote the intact forest habitat with the ecosystems that the Brazil nut trees
require.
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Ecosystem of the Brazil Nut Tree
The Brazil nut tree species almost exclusively grows in the Amazon, can sustain
its population even when intensely harvested by humans, and requires a healthy, intact
rainforest to reproduce. The combination of these three characteristics makes Brazil nut
harvesting a demographically sustainable industry and puts Brazil nuts in a position to
help promote conservation of the Amazon rainforest.
Brazil nut trees grow in stands of 50 to 100 members located around well-drained
soils in lowland rainforests up to 800 meters above sea level (Shanley 2002: 62). Inaddition, Brazil nut trees only grow where the average annual temperature is between 24
and 27 degrees Celsius and rainfall is between 1,400 and 2,800 mm rainfall (Shanley
2002: 65). These conditions naturally occur throughout the Amazon rainforest, and
Brazil nut trees are most common in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador
(Taylor 2005).
Brazil nut trees also stand out for their long lifespan, reaching up to 1,400 years of
age. Considering that trees produce an average of 100 (and up to 2,000) pods in a given
year, each of which contains 10-12 seeds, only a small fraction must mature in order to
sustain the population (Shanley 2002: 66). Indeed, the species appears to be quite
resilient. According to a study conducted in Bolivia, even when 93% of seeds were
harvested, scientists found no significant impact on the health or demographic structure
of the species (Zuidema 2002). Although a handful of studies suggest that Brazil nuts
trees are being over-harvested (Bhatta 2003), the majority agree that populations are not
affected by the current intensity of human extraction. One such study examined
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Figure 2: The percentage of Brazil nut fruits harvested does not correspond with thenumber of seedlin s er fruit left in the forest (Wadt 2008).
Cachoeira, Pindamonhangaba, and Filipinas in Acre River Valley of the western
Brazilian Amazon and found that seed removal and seedling abundance alone were not
reliable indicators of overall Brazil nut population stability and that the species was not
threatened by extraction in these areas (Wadt 2008). (see Figure 2)
As a result, when viewed in isolation, Brazil nut harvesting by humans appears to
be demographically sustainable; it does not interfere with the growth and development of
future generations. As Where the Andes meet the Amazon puts it, Unlike cattle
ranching or timber extraction, Brazil nut harvesting is one of the few rainforest industries
capable of extracting wealth from intact rainforests year after year without damaging
them (MacQuarrie 2001: 313). In fact, Brazil nut harvesting exclusively occurs in intact
rainforests.
Two other species must also be present in order for Brazil nut trees to reproduce:
the Euglossine bee and the Dasyprocta variegata or Agouti rodent. Euglossine bees
pollinate Brazil nut trees when drinking nectar from their flowers, which have a hooded
stamen cover that is particularly difficult for most other species to lift (MacQuarrie 2001:
312). Once pollinated, it takes about 15 months for Brazil nut flowers to develop into
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Figure 3: Since Brazil nut pods arevery thick, people often have to use amachete to crack them open(Ladenheim: 2010).
fruits, frequently referred to as pods (Mori 1992). At this point, the 1-2 kilogram pods
fall to the rainforest floor. If left untouched, the Brazil nuts enclosed fail to grow because
the sprouts inside are not strong enough to break through the pod (see Figure 3). While
several animals, including Macaws, are capable of break this pod, Brazil nuts rarely
escape uneaten or undamaged. Only the Agouti rodent, which weighs around 7 pounds
and has notably sharp teeth and large jaw muscles, is an effective seed disperser.
Although Agoutis initially open Brazil nut pods to feed, they are cannot consume all of
the nuts inside at once. Consequently, they bury any extras for a later date. Brazil nuts
can successfully sprout if an Agouti forgets about a seed or is killed by a predator (MacQuarrie 2001: 313). Since Euglossine
bees and Agoutis, rarely visit fragmented
or modified forests, people have been
unable to grow Brazil nut trees out of their
natural habitat (Shanley 2002: 67). This
trait sets Brazil nuts apart from other
destructive uses of the Amazonian land,
such as cattle ranching and logging. In
turn, the market for Brazil nuts has the
potential to promote the conservation of generally healthy and intact rainforest, providing
Peruvians with a less destructive, profitable, and renewable export.
Human Groups Involved with the Brazil Nut Industry in Madre de Dios
A closer look at Brazil nut harvesting in the southeastern region of Peru called
Madre de Dios (see Figure 4) sheds light on Brazil nut harvesting and its ability to
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Figure 4: Madre deDios, Peru(Spiritual: 2010 [left]Tourismo: 2010 [right])
Figure 5: A tour guide models how castaeros would use athree-pronged stick and basket when harvesting Brazil nuts.(Ladenheim: 2010)
promote conservation in a more
holistic manner. Although Brazil
nuts are demographically sustainable
and constitute a significant Peruvian
export, analysis of the people
involved with the industry shows that
it is economically unsustainable.
Brazil nuts were first discovered by Europeans in 1567 when Juan lvarez
Maldonado explored the Amazon (MacQuarrie 2001: 312). Since then, Brazil nuts havedeveloped into a widespread international export. Bringing in 44 million US dollars to
South America annually, it is a significant non-timber forest product (NTFP) of the
Amazon, second only to rubber (Taylor 2005). In addition, 27,000, or 38%, of the
Peruvians in Madre de Dios are involved with the industry (Collinson 2000: 9).
Just as indigenous groups have done for centuries,
harvesters collect Brazil nuts by hand or with baskets (see
Figure 5). However,
modern technology is
increasingly being
incorporated into the
processing steps. Once
nuts are harvested,
they are transported to
shelling factories,
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processed, sold to wholesalers, and shipped overseas, primarily to the UK, Netherlands,
US, and Canada (Our Work 2008). Peruvians take on a wide variety of jobs to carry out
each step, including castaeros (harvesters), barriqueros (processors), hauliers
(transporters), workers, businessmen, and traders (Collinson 2000: 10). The vast majority
of castaeros take out loans from Brazil nut wholesalers at the start of the harvest because
they do not posses enough capital to harvest independently (Freese 1997: 277). This
subjects them to the conditions set by creditors, which often forces castaeros into debt
(Shanley 2002: 74).
To regulate the Brazil nut trade, the Peruvian government grants castaerosconcessions, or permission to harvest from a particular area for 2 to 10 years (Collinson
2000: 11). Once they have received a concession, castaeros may apply to have them
renewed in future years. Castaeros are also allowed to use other resources in the
vicinity of their concession to maintain their homes (MacQuarrie 2001: 313). In total,
these concessions cover 1.2 million hectares of land in Madre de Dios, and Brazil nut
harvesting accounts for 67% of the gross annual income of those involved there (Shanley
2002: 63).
Peruvians who participate in the Brazil nut industry are generally extremely poor.
The money they earn via Brazil nuts translates to a monthly per capita income of US $89,
which is far below the Perus average minimum living income, US $200 a month
(Collinson 2000: 10). While this comparison is slightly skewed because the cost of living
may be higher in Perus cities, the fact remains that castaeros live in poverty. In turn,
these Peruvians must bring in more money in order to make ends meet or support their
families.
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Figure 7: World Brazil nut production- The price of Brazil nuts is elastic and fluctuates from year to year (Freese 1997: 266).
Historically, a number of efforts have been made to increase the sales of Brazil
nuts. Price wise, Brazil nuts struggle to compete with other nuts that can be farmed more
efficiently on plantations. They are consequently viewed as an easily substituted luxury
item. For example, Brazil nuts are tossed in with Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts
products, but are not exclusively sold in containers like other nuts (Planters 2010). As a
result, Brazil nuts only make up about 1.62% of the total volume of the global nut market
and have a fairly elastic price (Collinson 2000: 4). (see figures 6 and 7)
Figure 6 : Brazil nuts constitute 1.67% of the international nut market(Collinson 2000: 4).
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Figure 8: In recent years, manualBrazil nut crackers like the one pictured have been increasinglyreplaced with more mechanized processing technologies(Ladenheim 2010).
In addition, issues of reliability have been detrimental to Perus Brazil nut
industry. As put by the National Resources Institute, the international edible nut trade
considers Peru as a brazil nut origin of last resort due
to the inconsistency of supply and poor quality
(Collinson 2000: 37). To address this issue,
sophisticated processing factories have been
introduced and are replacing the traditional manual
Brazil nut crackers (see Figure 8). While such
technology has reduced prices and improved quality,it has had an overall negative effect, doing little to
encourage additional sales and putting increasingly
more Peruvian laborers out of work (Shanley 2002:
63).
Attempts at improving Brazil nut sales through fair trade and marketing appeals
to a socially conscious market have not succeeded either. In reality, demand for Brazil
nuts remains elastic because they are still more expensive and easily replaced with other
nuts (Collinson 2000: 37). Despite all of these efforts to increase Brazil nut sales, sales
dropped from 4% of the global nut market in the 1970s to 2% by 1997. This detracts
from its influence and power to help conservation efforts (Shanley 2002: 64).
In summary, Peruvians cannot rely on the Brazil nut industry alone for
sustenance: doing so is economically unsustainable. In addition, an increase in this
industrys profitability is unlikely to occur in the foreseeable future. An article inWorld
Development expands on this point, stating Although the extraction and processing of
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Brazil nuts is profitable, it is not profitable enough to lift households out of poverty; 95%
of these households would remain below the poverty level if they depended only on
income from Brazil nuts (Escobal 2003). Therefore, one must turn to outer sources of
income in order to survive.
Analysis of Environmental Conservation and Human Development Potential inMadre de Dios
Both demographic and economic sustainability are vital to the success of
Peruvians ability to use the Brazil nut industry to conserve the Amazon rainforest in
Madre de Dios. The fact that Brazil nut sales cannot adequately meet the economic needs
of castaeros ultimately leads to destruction of the rainforest.
Desperation drives poverty-stricken castaeros to resort to more immediate and
unsustainable sources of income when not participating in the three-month Brazil nut
harvest. For one, they over-hunt monkeys and other game for food (MacQuarrie 2001:
313). Cattle ranching, logging, mining, and slash-and-burn agriculture are other tempting
options (Freese 1997: 273). In addition, it is common for castaeros to turn to these
ephemeral sources of income to alleviate debts they have accumulated from loans they
must take out during the Brazil nut harvest. Although all of the aforementioned practices
are illegal on Brazil nut concessions, they prevail because the Peruvian government has
difficulty enforcing these laws (Shanley 2002: 74). While rubber tapping is another
sustainable source of income that complements Brazil nut harvesting, this industry alone
is not enough to sufficiently alleviate poverty. At the end of the day, rainforest lands end
up shrinking, people remain in poverty, and much of the Amazons biodiversity is lost
from the unsustainable land uses that accompany Brazil nut harvesting (Mori 1992).
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Recommendations and Conclusion
Overall, since Brazil nut harvesting is demographically sustainable and must
occur in healthy, intact rainforest, this industry holds great potential to promote
conservation of the rainforest. Until changes are made, however, economic pressures
force poverty-stricken castaeros to take part in destructive practices that ultimately do
not conserve the rainforest.
In order for Brazil nut harvesting to promote conservation of the environment,
castaeros must be provided with incentives to avoid destructive behavior. Currently,
they hunt, log, mine, and farm to alleviate their hunger and debts. To discourage theseunsustainable land uses, castaeros need land security, adequate food supply, and more
economic independence. It should also be noted that the Peruvian government has done
little to enforce laws against unsustainable land use on concessions. In order to establish
more credibility with castaeros, it should begin stricter enforcement. Only then can the
following suggestions be effective.
Castaeros should be given a greater sense of land ownership through more
permanent concessions. These could be granted by the Peruvian government or by a
private conservation organization, under the condition that castaeros conserve it and use
it for Brazil nut harvesting. Ownership would encourage castaeros to respect their land
and treat it responsibly to ensure successful future harvests. To prevent hunting and
provide extra support, meat from outside sources could also be distributed to castaeros
who comply. An ecotourism lodge called Refugio Amazonas has successfully
implemented this strategy, which adds credibility to its feasibility (Miller 2007).
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Figure 9: Candied Brazilnuts are a popular confection sold in theMadre de Dios region butare not widely available inthe United States.(Ladenheim: 2010)
In terms of economic independence, castaeros should organize themselves and
negotiate better terms with buyers. The Peruvian government could facilitate these
negotiations since it is in a position of authority.
Support from conservation organizations could also
provide castaeros with enough capital to avoid taking
out debilitating loans from buyers. Finally, more serious
attempts at increasing Brazil nut profits from
international markets could gradually alleviate the
amount of outside support needed to support the Brazilnut industry. The sources previously reviewed illustrate
that past attempts at increasing Brazil nut exports have
not flourished (Collinson 2000: 37). Instead of trying to
increase thequantity of Brazil nut sales, another option
worth exploring is the development of more expensive,
quality Brazil nut products. Examples range from cosmetics to specialty confections like
candied Brazil nuts (see Figure 9) and fine chocolates. Such enterprises hold the
potential to be successful if carefully marketed as high-end, eco-friendly products to
wealthier consumers.
Although each aspect of this program would require outside support and
resources, it would employ local Peruvians, give them an invested interest in their land,
and consequently prevent rainforest destruction, which is priceless.
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