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Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests

Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark

Sustaining life on earth: Livelihoods and biodiversity






Bogota (Colombia)

Quito (Ecuador)

Lima (Peru)

La Paz (Bolivia)

London (UK)

Aarhus (Denmark)Copenhagen (Denmark)Berlin (Germany)

Montpellier (France)

Madrid (Spain)



Calow, P. 1998. Encyclopedia of Ecology and Environmental Management. Blackwell, London.

CT = Total CapitalCM = Man-made CapitalCS = Social CapitalCN = Natural Capital = CNR + CNNRCNR = Renewable Natural CapitalCNNR = Non-renewable Natural Capital

CT =CM + CS + CN

+ +

++

_

Sustainable development meets the need of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

(Our Common Future, 1987

Biodiversity and sustainable development

Biodiversity can be a renewable resourceif managed sustainably orBiodiversity is a non-renewable resourceif managed un-sustainably



Biodiversity and the challenge of science



Climatic and other ecological conditions increasingly well documented

The evolution of life and biodiversity on earth increasingly well documented


People of the World – from 1000 AD to the present day

Growth rate of human population per country



183 genera, 2500 speciesGlobal distribution and diversity of palms;Where do palms occur ?



How are palms harvested?

Industrial plantations: Elaeis guineensis – the African Oil PalmCocos nucifera – the CoconutPhoenix dactylifera – the Date-palm+ some more (NB ornamentals)• Large companies, national & international,• Multi-billion dollar research and development• Large scale genetic improvements• International markets

Domesticated palms

“Homegardens”/Agricultural:Areca catechu – the Betal-palmBactris gasipaes – the Peach-palm+ many more• Individual farmers and small industries• Local domestication and genetic improvement• Local markets and consumption



Managed palms: Hyphaene thebaica – the Doum-palmAstrocaryum chambira – the Chambira-fiber-palmArenga pinnata – the Sugar-palm+ many more• Common in rural sites, villages, small towns, etc.• No genetic improvement• Used in local markets and domestic

Wild palms

ExtractivismCalamus rotang - RattanIriartea deltoidea - Pona+ many many more• Common in indigenous and other poor communities• No genetic improvement• Domestic use and local market• Rattans and ornamentals enter international markets

How are palms harvested?



Some palm species have multiple uses Use frequency(% of 100 interviews)

Aphandra natalia is used forat least 24 different purposes, and all parts of the palm areused

The use frequency for thedifferent parts of the palm

vary much

Balslev, H., Knudsen, T. R., Byg, A., Kronborg, M. and C. Grandez. 2010. Traditional knowledge, use, and management of Aphandra natalia (Arecaceae) in Amazonian Peru. Economic Botany (accepted).



Sosnowska, J. and H. Balslev. 2010. American Palm Ethnomedicine.Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. Accepted

Many palm species are used to treat a large number of medical conditions in humans

Euterpe precatoria is widely used as malaria medicine, prepared as a decoction



Project Rationale:1. Tropical forest harbor thousands of useful plants including many palms2. The effect on the ecosystem of harvesting these plants is little known3. Ecosystem resilience not understood (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment)

FP7 – PALMS integrates studies of:3. The size of the resource investigating palm communities4. Harvest effects on genetic variability in palm populations5. Quantity of local use through ethno-botanical inventories6. Quantities and routes of regional, national and international trade7. Best case management of palm resources8. Political and social influences on palm use, trade and management

Using a variety of communication methods FP7-PALMS will:9. Provide scientifically based information relevant for palm management10. Suggest appropriate management practices for palms



Extraction (≈800 sp.)

Management (≈300 sp.)

Semi-cultivation (≈100 sp.)

Intense-cultivation (≈5 sp.)

Dom

estic

ated

palm

sW

ildpa

lms

Number of speciesNo use (≈1200 sp.)

(land-races)

Sustainableuse-management

FP7-PALMS

Conservation



FP7-PALMS integrates:

community ecologypopulation geneticsethno-botanyeconomic botanyagroecologysocioeconomyinformation-technologycommunication



WP1 – Diversity and abundance of palm resources (community ecology)

500 mSubunit 5 x 5 m

Transects



WP2 – Ecosystem resilience and limits of functioning (population genetics)

Cer

oxyl

onal

pinu

m,N

aneg

alito

▲1

▲2▲3

▲4 ▲5

Microsatelites Microsatelites

Gen

etic

div

ersi

ty



Original – compiled from various sources

WP3 – Products provided by palms to local people (ethno-botany)



WP4 – Small industries and trade in products from palms (economic botany)



WP5 – Sustainability and management of palm resources (agro-ecology)

Harvest of Aphandra natalia

Destructive harvest (Loreto) Non-destructive harvest (Pastaza)



WP6 – Policies and sustainable use and management (socio-economy)

42%

19%

15%

12%

4%

4% 4%

Uso de la biodiversidad

Biocomercio

Acceso a recursos genéticos

Derechos de propiedadintelectualDerechos de pueblos indígenas

Legislación ambiental

Uso del suelo

37%

25%

15%

9%

8%4% 2%

Uso biodiversidad

General

Comercio

Acceso a recursos genéticos

Uso del suelo

Derechos de propiedadintelectualDerechos de pueblos indígenas

Compilation of documents and interviews with stakeholders

docu

men

tsst

akeh

olde

rs



WP7 – Compilation and organization of information (informatics)

Field books

Theses

Journal articles

Primary data



WP8 – Communication

The project has built and follows a communication strategy



Based on interdisciplinary research and using a variety of communication methods FP7-PALMS will:

Provide scientifically based information relevant for palm management

Suggest appropriate management practices for palms

2009 2011 2012 20132010

Planning Field work Field work Analysis Wrap up



Thanks to the FP7-PALMS team

Jean-Christophe Pintaud, Francis Kahn, Fabien Anthelme (Montpellier, France)Gloria Galeano, Rodrigo Bernal, Néstor García, Martha Isabel Vellejo, Jaime Navarro,

María José Sanin, Carolina Isaza, María Torres, Laura Mesa, Eva Ledesma, Natalia Valderrama (Bogota, Colombia)

Renato Valencia, Hugo Navarrete, Rommel Montufar, Lucia de la Torre, Gabriela Guzman, Jose Barreiro, Carolina Altamirano, Roberto Carillo (Quito, Ecuador)

Betty Millan, Joaquina Albán, Jorge Lingan, Manuel Marín, Yakov Quinteros, Jose Olivera, Hector Aponte, Carlos Martel, Marinoli Rivas,Miguel Machahua (Lima, Peru)

Monica Moraes, Narel Paniagaua, Camila Urioste (La Paz, Bolivia)Manuel Macía, Manuel Santayana, Rodrigo Camara (Madrid, Spain)Bill Baker, Bob Alkin, Soraya Villalba (Kew, UK)Max Weigend, Grischa Brokamp (Berlin, Germany)Helle Munk Ravnborg (Copenhagen, Denmark)Henrik Balslev, Dennis Pedersen, Inger Juste, Jens-Christian Svenning, Finn Borchsenius,

Anders Barfod, Wolf Eiserhardt, Thea Kristiansen (Aarhus, Denmark)

Documents

Sustaining life on earth: Livelihoods and biodiversity ...ec.europa.eu/environment/archives/greenweek2010/... · Sustaining life on earth: Livelihoods and biodiversity. People of