I I FINAL REPORT I I Submitted to: Office of the Science Advisor u.S. Agency for International Development I Program in Science and Technology Cooperation I I Project Title: SUSTAINABLE USE, DIVERSITY, CONSERVATION STATUS, AND ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF BOLIVIAN PALMS I I Principal Investigators: Andrew Henderson I New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458 & I Monica Moraes I Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, Casilla 10077, La Paz, Bolivia I Project Number: 12.585 I Grant Number: HRN-5600-G-00-2026-00 I I USAID Grant Project Officer: Mr. Michael Benge fi ~' I REe'D ~N ~&Dm 'ProJ~ct Duration: September 1992 to March 1996 I .JUN 2 1 1996 ., ec'~'SI1~, 1 eeST AVAILABLE COpy !~ , ". Iii I ~ i~ "1, . , t I I I Table of Contents I Cover Sheet...................................... 1 I Executive Summary................................ 3 Research Objectives 4 I Methods and Results 4 I Impact, Relevance and Technology Transfer 6 Project Activities/Outputs 7 I Project Productivity 7 Future work 7 I Literature Cited................................. 8 I I I I I I I I I I 2 I I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I Our hypothesis was that plant resources could be I exploited in a sustainable and non-destructive manner, and that the way to achieve this goal was by a thorough I knowledge of the natural history of that resource, and using this to develop sustainable management practices. We used I palms (Palmae) as study organisms for the testing of our I hypothesis. The specific objectives of this research were fourfold. Firstly, we concentrated on two economically I important species, Parajubaea torallyi and Geonoma deversa. For these species we discovered how harvesting practices I could be reconciled with continuing reproduction of the I palms. Secondly, we carried out an inventory of all naturally occurring palms in Bolivia. Thirdly, we made an I assessment of the conservation status of each species. Fourthly, we described the actual or potential economic I value of each species. I As a result of this project, significant botanical skills exist in Bolivia. The National Herbarium in La Paz, in part I at least as a result of this project, is an active center of botanical research in Bolivia. Knowledge of the Bolivian I flora has increased dramatically over the last few years. I Local awareness of the importance of useful plants, and their sustainable use has greatly increased. During the life I of this project Moraes has worked for a Ph.D. degree from Aarhus University. As a result of this, and successful I I 3 I I completion of the palm project, she is now in a strong I position to continue to develop Bolivian botany. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 4 I I RESEARCH OBJECTIVES I The overall aim of this project was to seek sustainable I use practices for two particular species of palms; and to assess the diversity, conservation status and economic I potential of all Bolivian palms. The specific research objectives were fourfold. I The first objective was to concentrate on two I economically important, but relatively poorly known, species, Parajubaea torallyi and Geonoma deversa. The second I objective was to produce an inventory of all Bolivian palms with correct nomenclature and descriptions, this based on I previous and proposed fieldwork. The third objective was to I assess the conservation status of all Bolivian palms. The fourth objective was to assess their actual or potential I economic value. Other organizations supported the project in Bolivia. I There was close collaboration between the personnel of the I project and the National Herbarium in La Paz, and between the project and the Museum of Natural History in Santa Cruz. I METHODS AND RESULTS I I Parajubaea subproject: I In the Parajubaea subproject a student, Israel Vargas, from the Museo de Historia Natural in Santa Cruz, has been I I 5 I I carrying out work under the supervision of Monica Moraes. Vargas laid out permanent plots near Vallegrande and tagged I each individual palm. Data on leaf production and fruit I production were obtained. A paper on palms in interandean valleys of Bolivia was published Moraes and Vargas (1994, I see Appendix I). A summary of the results is presented I below. I I I I I I I I I I I I I 6 I I Sustainable Uses ofParajubaea sunkha I Israel Vargas and Monica Moraes This palm species - formerly known as Parajubaea I torallyi - is endemic to Bolivia (Moraes, 1996). It is found in narrow interandean valleys covered with low semideciduous forests in the Province of Vallegrande, SW I Department of Santa Cruz. Its population ranges between 1700 and 2200 m elevation. This species is locally exploited for its fruits, leaves and leaf fibers. Several products are weaved such as matresses, baskets, fans, and I ropes (Vargas, 1994). Because past and current harvesting practices affected I negatively to its reproduction, studies are needed to involve a sustainable management to enhance its productivity and conservation at a long term level by local I communities. I Methods Since 1993, the whole valley of Vallegrande has been visited in order to survey the extension and I representativeness of this palm species. Two plots were dnventoried in the valley of I Vallegrande. ,In 'Eh'"Pa'J:Jnar'{{'~'mWa'lle;.grande) an area of 200 m2 (10 x 2"0 ,nt~<iirIi~~ 1lIar¥ested was studied. While a non harveste.a- Jp:l.dt ',:ox 3Ironi2 ('10 x 50 m) -) was inventoried in the'Quebrada'tlel ;~orro (one kilometer south I of Vallegrande) . '. The'"age structure ::.cf£ -"'tilm ~pWJ:.Citi0n has been described I and measured in FEU-itt'ion "~t:o'ccllu:BseB :off vegetative growth, tagging each Ind:ividuaU, ani:l mam:mftiing heigth, diameter, I number of leaves, and'numher~f~innae. The structure of ';'bdeh "nar,vested and non-harvested plots were compared in ~raBr'~ ~ther information about the impact of current harve-st "Ol1-"the regeneration phaseS! I of Parajubaeasunkha. "", ' ;" , '.- ;' .,= Between" 1993-" and 1994; 'pll'enological" data "'*ei-e I registered" iI:1 both Jlerinanent plots ~', Information ~ inc'luaeCl tiine and frequency· of 'flowering, fructification, and"ma-eur~ fruits.," " I , > - ~"Z '. "'~- i. J: I \ ,,, (0" "; c 7 I BEST AVAILABLE COpy, ' I Fiber production has been recorded following I measurements of fallen leaves, width, and dry weight of fibers. Through interviews to local communities and farmers, I basic information was gathered about traditional uses and local profits derived from palm products: fibers and I fruits, as well as its commercialization. For statistical analysis, all the information was processed under EXEL 6.1 for mean results, variance, I standard deviation, and coefficient of variation. I Results Fourteen stands are found in the valley of Vallegrande: EI Palmar, Pefiones, Collpa, Martin Pampa, Alto I Palmar, Mataralcito, Juntas de Guariconga, Rodeo, Rio San BIas, Alto La Sequia, Sunchal, Palmas Amarillas, Quina­ Quina, and Quebrada La Palma. Both extreme stands, from north to south are distanced by 50 km: from the Quebrada I La Palma, north of Vallegrande, to Las Minas near Piraymiri, in the south of Vallegrande. A natural stand of sunkha very close to Vallegrande lies in the Quebrada I del Zorro. In both study sites heigth classes of the sunkha palm I were surveyed (see Table 1). I Table 1 Heigth classes of Parajubaea sunkha in harvested and non I harvested plots (a EI Palmar; b Quebrada del Zorro) Class Heigth Individualsa Individualsb ~ ~ I (m) 0 0 1 0-0.5 0.0 9.5 2 0.5-1.0 0.0 15.9 I 3 1.0-2.5 0.0 36.5 4 2.5-5.0 25.0 17.5 5 5.0-10.0 70.0 12.7 I 6 >10.0 5.0 7.9 N 20 126 I TOTAL (%) 100 100 I I Sustainable use of Parajubaea sunkha - Vargas et ale I 8 I The most representative class in EI Palmar belongs to I adults which range between 5 and 10 m tall (to 70% of the total). Although there are some reproductive individuals which are being left without harvest, no germinated fruits nor seedlings and juveniles are representated in harvested I stands. These few plants - locally known as "coroceras" - are identified by farmers as "good individuals for fruit I production". In the case of a closed area, without the invasion of cattle and harvesting practices, in the Quebrada del Zorro I all the heigth classes are well typified, even seedlings and adults. From a seedling to adults, the Parajubaea sunkha bears I 1-8 leaves in the class 1, 9-14 leaves in the class 2, 15­ 25 leaves in the class 3, and 30-45 leaves in the class 6. Fibers are soft and less resistant when plants reach 2.5 I m, and were measured to be 15 x 50 cm; while a high quality fiber with 40 x 100 cm is find in individuals 3-15 m tall. In the heigth class 4, individuals start flowering. I Each inflorescence is subtended by a leaf. The first inflorescences are smaller than mean sizes, and it is said by local people that the sunkha palm reaches maturity when I it has about 18-25 years old. Each plant has 8-12 infructescences in different I stages of growth; reaching mature fruits each two months. Annually, five infructescences reach maturity per plant. Parajubaea sunkha flowers and produces fruits along I the whole year. Staminate flowers have their flowering peak in the second week since the peduncular bract was opened. After 25-30 days, more than 50% have been fallen I down up til the next 10-15 days.