Abstract Detail

70 Years After Schultes: Economic Botany from the Andes to the Amazon

Balslev, Henrik [1].

Palm harvest impact in the western Amazon, Andes and Pacific lowlands.

Palms are the most useful group of plants in tropical American forests and in this project we study the effect of extraction and trade of palms on forest in the western Amazon, Andes and Pacific lowlands. We determine the size of the resource by making palm community studies in the different forest formations and determine the number of species and individuals of all palm species. The genetic structure of useful palm species is studied to determine how much harvesting of the species contributes to genetic erosion of its populations, and whether extraction can be made without harm. We determine how much palms are used for subsistence purposes by carrying out quantitative, ethnobotanical research in different forest types and we also study trade patterns for palm products from local markets to markets that involve export to other countries and continents. We study different ways in which palms are managed and we propose sustainable methods to local farmers, governments, NGOs and other interested parties. Finally we study national level mechanism that governs extraction, trade and commercialization of palm products, to identify positive and negative policies in relation to resilience of ecosystems and use this to propose sustainable policies to the governments. The results are disseminated in a variety of ways,depending on need and stake holders, from popular leaflets and videos for farmers, reports for policy makers to scientific publication for the research community. The team behind the proposal represents 10 universities and research institutions in Europe and northwestern South America.

Broader Impacts:

Related Links:
http://www.fp7-palms.org

1 - Aarhus University, Bioscience, Ny Munkegade 114, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark

Keywords:
Arecaceae
Sustainable harvest
Tropical America.

Presentation Type: Symposium or Colloquium Presentation
Session: SY07
Location: Maryland Room/Chase Park Plaza
Date: Tuesday, July 12th, 2011
Time: 2:00 PM
Number: SY07003
Abstract ID:218