Palm Management in South America

Abstract

We reviewed information on management of useful palms in South America. We documented management for 96 species, from incidental activities intended to increase populations of wild palms to the inclusion of palms in complex agroforestry systems. Two species, Bactris gasipaes and Parajubaea cocoides, are domesticated. Managed species are remarkably fewer than species used in the region, which suggests that harvesters often disregard the fate of the species they use. The best way of managing palms is to employ harvest methods that do not decimate the populations. Although a variety of harvesting techniques have been documented, overharvest is common, and mismanagement prevails -unnecessary felling of palms in order to harvest leaves or fruits is a widespread practice. Research should focus on assessing production in response to management practices, but eradicating the habit of destructive harvest is an obvious priority. Research on palm management must be combined with actions addressed to all stakeholders of the palm/humans system.Resumen Revisamos la información sobre manejo de palmas útiles en Suramérica. Documentamos manejo para 96 especies, desde el cuidado ocasional de palmas con el fin de incrementar las poblaciones silvestres, hasta la introducción intencional de algunas especies en chagras o en sistemas agroforestales. Dos especies, Bactris gasipaes y Parajubaea cocoides, son domesticadas. Las especies manejadas son notablemente menos que las especies útiles, lo que refleja poco interés de los cosechadores por la suerte de las especies usadas. La mejor forma de manejar las palmas es emplear métodos de cosecha que no diezmen las poblaciones. Aunque se han documentado diversas técnicas de cosecha, la sobrecosecha es común y predomina el mal manejo: tumbar innecesariamente las palmas para cosechar las hojas o los frutos es una práctica común. La investigación debería enfocarse en evaluar la respuesta de las palmas a las prácticas de manejo, pero es prioritario erradicar las prácticas de cosecha destructiva. Se debe combinar la investigación sobre manejo de palmas con acciones dirigidas a todos los actores del sistema palma/hombre.

Peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) in tropical Latin America: implications for biodiversity conservation, natural resource management and human nutrition

“…This review paper highlights scientific knowledge about peach palm fruit production that comes from different technical disciplines and has not been covered in previous reviews-at least not from such a broad perspective (e.g., Mora-Urpí et al 1997;Clement et al 2004Clement et al , 2010Bernal et al 2011). The review also identifies aspects that research has so far neglected but have potential to improve the well-being of people involved in peach palm production and marketing.…”

SE Asian Palms for Agroforestry and Home Gardens

“…At the end we will make a number of recommendations, which elaborate on the findings of a recently completed EU 7th Framework project (EU-PALMS 2009-2013) on sustainable harvesting of palms in tropical South America (results published in [5,[10][11][12]). Table 1 summarizes some of the most important features that characterize palms (family Arecaceae) as a plant group and how these affect their agricultural potential.…”

“…Hence there is very little attention on their potential in home-gardens and agroforestry cultivation systems. Many palm species are underexploited and the products they deliver are often extracted in a way that is both inefficient and unsustainable [12]. Detailed studies conducted in north-western South America have shown that resource depletion due to lack of proper management has led to rising prices on local and regional markets [11].…”

Management of the palm Astrocaryum chambira Burret (Arecaceae) in northwest Amazon

“…Astrocaryum chambira (chambira or cumare) is one of the most important palm species for the indigenous communities of the northwestern Amazon as the fibers obtained from its unexpanded leaves are used to make a great variety of products for daily needs, such as hammocks, bags, or fishing nets (Jensen & Balslev 1995;Vormisto 2002;Coomes 2004;Bernal et al 2011;Mesa & Galeano 2013). Its harvest and processing are a part of aboriginal traditions, and these activities represent important times for social interactions (Gallego 2005).…”