Impacts of Unsustainable Mahogany Logging in Bolivia and Peru
Although bigleaf mahogany [Swietenia macrophylla King (Meliaceae)] is the premier timber species of Latin America, its exploitation is unsustainable because of a pattern of local depletion and shifting supply. We surveyed experts on the status of mahogany in Bolivia and Peru, the world's past a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2004-06-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol9/iss1/art12/ |
| _version_ | 1818732921428639744 |
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| author | Roberto F. Kometter Martha Martinez Arthur G. Blundell Raymond E. Gullison Marc K. Steininger Richard E. Rice |
| author_facet | Roberto F. Kometter Martha Martinez Arthur G. Blundell Raymond E. Gullison Marc K. Steininger Richard E. Rice |
| author_sort | Roberto F. Kometter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although bigleaf mahogany [Swietenia macrophylla King (Meliaceae)] is the premier timber species of Latin America, its exploitation is unsustainable because of a pattern of local depletion and shifting supply. We surveyed experts on the status of mahogany in Bolivia and Peru, the world's past and present largest exporters. Bolivia no longer has commercially viable mahogany (trees > 60 cm diameter at breast height) across 79% of its range. In Peru, mahogany's range has shrunk by 50%, and, within a decade, a further 28% will be logged out. Approximately 15% of the mahogany range in these two countries is protected, but low densities and illegal logging mean that this overestimates the extent of mahogany under protection. The international community can support mahogany conservation by funding park management and by encouraging independent verification of the legality of mahogany in trade. Our findings demonstrate that a systematic expert survey can generate reliable and cost-effective information on the status of widespread species of concern and help to inform appropriate management policy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T23:41:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-34a95fb5b862438099fe75d01aa69396 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1708-3087 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T23:41:15Z |
| publishDate | 2004-06-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-34a95fb5b862438099fe75d01aa693962022-12-21T21:28:26ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872004-06-01911210.5751/ES-00629-090112629Impacts of Unsustainable Mahogany Logging in Bolivia and PeruRoberto F. Kometter0Martha Martinez1Arthur G. Blundell2Raymond E. Gullison3Marc K. Steininger4Richard E. Rice5Universidad Nacional Agraria La MolinaCenter for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation InternationalEGAT Forest Team, USAIDHardner & Gullison AssociatesCenter for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation InternationalCenter for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation InternationalAlthough bigleaf mahogany [Swietenia macrophylla King (Meliaceae)] is the premier timber species of Latin America, its exploitation is unsustainable because of a pattern of local depletion and shifting supply. We surveyed experts on the status of mahogany in Bolivia and Peru, the world's past and present largest exporters. Bolivia no longer has commercially viable mahogany (trees > 60 cm diameter at breast height) across 79% of its range. In Peru, mahogany's range has shrunk by 50%, and, within a decade, a further 28% will be logged out. Approximately 15% of the mahogany range in these two countries is protected, but low densities and illegal logging mean that this overestimates the extent of mahogany under protection. The international community can support mahogany conservation by funding park management and by encouraging independent verification of the legality of mahogany in trade. Our findings demonstrate that a systematic expert survey can generate reliable and cost-effective information on the status of widespread species of concern and help to inform appropriate management policy.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol9/iss1/art12/BoliviaLatin AmericaPeruexpert surveyforest conservationforest inventoriesforest regenerationmahoganyprotected areasquestionnairerangesustainable forestry |
| spellingShingle | Roberto F. Kometter Martha Martinez Arthur G. Blundell Raymond E. Gullison Marc K. Steininger Richard E. Rice Impacts of Unsustainable Mahogany Logging in Bolivia and Peru Ecology and Society Bolivia Latin America Peru expert survey forest conservation forest inventories forest regeneration mahogany protected areas questionnaire range sustainable forestry |
| title | Impacts of Unsustainable Mahogany Logging in Bolivia and Peru |
| title_full | Impacts of Unsustainable Mahogany Logging in Bolivia and Peru |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of Unsustainable Mahogany Logging in Bolivia and Peru |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of Unsustainable Mahogany Logging in Bolivia and Peru |
| title_short | Impacts of Unsustainable Mahogany Logging in Bolivia and Peru |
| title_sort | impacts of unsustainable mahogany logging in bolivia and peru |
| topic | Bolivia Latin America Peru expert survey forest conservation forest inventories forest regeneration mahogany protected areas questionnaire range sustainable forestry |
| url | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol9/iss1/art12/ |
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