68 69 Managing natural forests for sustainable harvests of (): experiences in Mexicoʼs community forests L.K. Snook, V.A. Santos Jimenez, M. Carreón Mundo, C. Chan Rivas, F.J. May Ek, P. Mas Kantún, C. Hernández Hernández, A. Nolasco Morales and C. Escobar Ruíz

In the state of Quintana Roo, ig- mahogany (Swietenia the sustainability of its commercial trade Mexico, collaborative research macrophylla), the most impor- (Kammesheidt et al., 2001; Blundell and and adaptive management tant timber tree in neotropical Rodan, 2003). As a result, in 2002, after are providing a foundation for Bforests, has become the flagship spe- three previous and contentious debates sustainable management of cies in debates about the feasibility of among the signatories, big-leaf ma- mahogany. sustainable tropical forest management hogany was listed on Appendix II of (e.g. Rice, Gullison and Reid, 1997). the Convention on International Trade The natural range of mahogany extends in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna from southern Mexico to an arc along and Flora (CITES), which calls for the the southern Amazon basin of Bolivia, scientific and management authorities of Brazil and Peru (Lamb, 1966). In its each exporting country to define sustain- native range, mahogany timber is still able levels of harvest for the species and obtained from natural forests because to provide export permits accordingly decades of attempts to grow the species (Rodan and Blundell, 2003). Appendix in monospecific plantations have been II requirements enter into force in No- largely unsuccessful owing to attacks by vember 2003. Laura K. Snook is Senior Scientist at the Center a shootboring insect, Hypsipyla gran- According to the mahogany work- for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), della (Patiño Valera, 1997; Mayhew and ing group of the CITES Secretariat, Bogor, Indonesia. Newton, 1998). Continuing harvests the community mahogany producers Victoria A. Santos Jimenez is Technical Director of southern Mexico represent the only of the Organización de Ejidos Productores have depended on progressive expan- Forestales de la Zona Maya, Felipe Carrillo sion into previously unlogged forests example of serious, long-term efforts to Puerto, Mexico. as skidding technologies changed and produce mahogany timber sustainably Marcelo Carreón Mundo is Director of the diameter limits dropped with chang- from natural forests (J. Grogan, personal State Forestry Programme of Quintana Roo, ing markets, and as new sources were communication). In the Maya Forest, within the Secretariat for Rural and Indigenous utilized (e.g. Brazil, Bolivia and Peru) the most extensive contiguous tropical Development of Agriculture and Animal (Grogan, Barreto and Veríssimo, 2002; forest area north of the Amazon, con- Husbandry (SEDARI), Chetumal, Mexico. Blundell and Rodan, 2003). In recent siderable progress towards sustainable Celso Chan Rivas is Technical Director, management has resulted from almost Sociedad de Productores Forestales Ejidales de years, significant quantities of mahoga- Quintana Roo, Chetumal, Mexico. ny entering the international trade from 20 years of inventories, silvicultural Francisco Javier May Ek is Technical Director, the Amazon region have been obtained efforts, observations and studies which Organización de Ejidos Forestales Quintana Roo illegally, sometimes from the lands of have augmented the knowledge base “Chaktemal”, Chetumal, Mexico. indigenous tribes, without their consent on mahogany silviculture. These expe- Pedro Mas Kantún is in the Technical (Watson, 1996). As a result, the United riences and studies can provide a foun- Directorate of the Sociedad de Pueblos Indígenas States and some European countries dation on which producers elsewhere Forestales de Quintana Roo “Tumben Cuxtal”, froze imports of big-leaf mahogany from might model sustainable and equitable Quintana Roo, Mexico. Brazil in 2002, and the Brazilian Gov- mahogany production systems that pro- Carlos Hernández Hernández is Regional vide not only timber but livelihoods for Director for the Yucatan Peninsula, Region ernment suspended mahogany logging XII, National Forestry Commission (Comisión (Grogan, Barreto and Veríssimo, 2002; rural people, as well as favouring forest Nacional Forestal, CONAFOR), Mexico. Blundell and Gullison, 2003). Today, conservation. Alfredo Nolasco Morales is Deputy most mahogany timber in international Representative for Environmental Protection, trade comes from Peru, and most is im- THE CHALLENGE OF SUSTAINING Quintana Roo Constituency, Ministry of ported by the United States. MAHOGANY HARVESTS the Environment and Natural Resources Both deforestation (forest conversion) The only way to sustain mahogany (SEMARNAT), Mexico. and timber harvesting have severely harvests into the future is to ensure Carlos Escobar Ruíz is Technical Director that harvested trees are replaced by the for seven independent ejidos in Quintana Roo, decreased the abundance of mahogany Mexico. across much of its range, leading to growth of existing trees not yet of com- The views expressed in this article are those of the concern about the survival of many mercial size and to promote regeneration authors, and not necessarily those of CIFOR. populations of the species, as well as in each annual cutting area.

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Mahogany regenerates abundantly The average density of commercial-sized after catastrophic disturbances which mahogany trees in destroy most associated species and Central America is create relatively large open areas (ide- about one tree per 2 hectare, but densities ally, greater than 5 000 m ). In Central can be higher America, favourable conditions have when mahogany been produced by hurricanes followed regenerates in post- disturbance clearings by fire, clearing for log yards, and slash-and-burn practices used to open shifting agricultural fields (Lamb, 1966; Snook, 1996). Thus mahogany trees tend to occur in essentially even- aged stands which may include some older individuals that survived the stand-initiating disturbance. Post-dis- turbance clumps may include densities as high as 50 mahogany trees (>30 cm) per hectare among 450 trees per hectare of other species (Snook, 2003), although overall densities of commercial-sized mahogany trees in the region are closer to one tree per hectare. In the southern Yucatan peninsula, where disturbances have been frequent, forests are typically mosaics of even-aged stands of differ- ent ages. Unfortunately, selective timber har-

vesting alone does not produce favour- L.K. SNOOK able regeneration conditions for ma- hogany. Selective harvesting impedes mahogany regeneration in two ways: by maintaining shady conditions inimical to the survival of mahogany seedlings (Dickinson and Whigham, 1999; Snook and Negreros-Castillo, 2003) and by de- pleting mahogany seed sources. Markets for species other than mahogany are limited, and even harvests of as many as 15 species were found to open less than 3 percent of the canopy, largely in gaps of less than 300 m2 (Whitman, Brokaw and Hagan, 1997; Robinson, Creating favourable 1998). Mahogany seeds do not remain conditions for survival viable longer than a few months (Morris, of light-demanding mahogany seedlings Negreros-Castillo and Mize, 2000), so is a challenge; ejidos there is no mahogany seed bank in the in Quintana Roo soil. The lack of seed sources can be them on log yards, in felling gaps and on skid

overcome by sowing mahogany seeds or SNOOK L.K. trails

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planting mahogany seedlings. Creating farmers, who fell and burn fields each ized to harvest approximately 7 000 m3 favourable conditions for their survival year for the production of subsistence of mahogany timber per year. A number is more challenging, and requires invest- crops of corn, beans and squash. The of the ejidos are certified under the guide- ment in silvicultural treatments. state has 125 ejidos that are currently lines of the Forest Stewardship Council. involved in commercial forestry, control- Annual harvests may be modified and PROGRESS IN MANAGEMENT OF ling from less than 1 000 ha to more than additional ejidos will begin producing MAHOGANY IN QUINTANA ROO, 55 000 ha of land each. Since control of mahogany as forest inventories and MEXICO timber harvesting was granted to these management plans are completed and The state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, in ejidos in 1984, each of them has de- the necessary permits are granted. the eastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula, lineated areas ranging from less than Most of the mahogany-producing eji- is 49 percent forested and produces 32 1 000 to 40 000 ha as permanent for- dos of Quintana Roo belong to one of percent of Mexicoʼs precious tropical est reserves which are managed for the five associations, each of which has a timbers (mostly mahogany as well as production of timber and other forest technical directorate, a team of forest- some cedar, Cedrela odorata) (INEGI, products. Agriculture is excluded from ers and technicians that oversees forest 1990). Forty-three percent of Quintana these areas. As of 2003, these forest re- inventories and develops a management Rooʼs land is controlled through com- serves totalled nearly 800 000 ha, but ad- plan for each ejidoʼs forest. The techni- munal land ownerships called ejidos ditional ejidos are still being integrated. cal directorate also supports the ejidos (INEGI, 1990). Most ejidatarios are Thirty-six ejidos are currently author- in developing the organizational capac- ity to manage their forestry operations Logs are and provides support for the sale of harvested and forest products. Some of the technical sold by the ejido, with profits directorates have received funding from reinvested in the the federal or state government and/or ejido or shared international donors. equally among its members In addition to harvesting mahogany, communities produce and sell other tropical timbers, both hardwoods and softwoods. They also produce and sell railroad ties, small understorey trees for construction poles and a variety of non- forest products, as well as envi- ronmental services. Timber is harvested by the ejido and sold as a community L.K. SNOOK L.K. resource, with profits reinvested in the ejido or shared equally among its mem- bers. Seven ejidos and one of the associa- tions have functioning sawmills, where members also earn wages by converting Several of mahogany or other timbers to boards. the ejidos in Logs and boards are sold primarily on Quintana Roo have functioning the domestic market. sawmills, where Total combined volumes of softwood members and hardwood species other than ma- earn wages by converting hogany are much higher than mahogany mahogany or other volumes, but mahogany yields profits timbers to boards L.K. SNOOK many times those obtained from the for sale, mainly on the domestic same volume of other species: in 2002, market 1 517 pesos (US$137) per cubic metre as

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compared to 264 pesos (US$24) per cu- as initial stock surveys on areas rich in The results of this research were bic metre for softwoods and $241 pesos mahogany were replaced by full forest presented to and discussed by forest- (US$22) per cubic metre for hardwoods. inventories that provided more realis- ers, forest owners and representatives This difference is even higher when logs tic estimates of standing stocks. In one of government agencies and research are sawn into boards. ejido, initial annual harvest estimates and educational institutions from Most of the mahogany-producing of 1 000 m3 per year were reduced to Mexico and Belize in November 2003 ejidos have carried out inventories of 310 m3 per year. at a workshop organized by CIFOR in mahogany and other commercial spe- Monitoring of enrichment planting Chetumal, Quintana Roo, with the goal cies on their forests, down to 10 cm has been limited, but after one study of translating this new knowledge into diameter. Timber harvesting is carried indicated that only 22 percent of ma- management guidelines for sustaining out according to a 25-year cutting cycle. hogany seedlings planted in skid trails mahogany regeneration. Both the re- The forest is divided into 25 annual cut- and felling gaps survived one to three search results and the conclusions of the ting areas, and each year all mahogany years after planting (Negreros-Castillo workshop will be published in Spanish trees greater than the minimum cutting and Mize, 2003), ejidos began to focus by the Tropical Agriculture Research and diameter (55 cm) are harvested from their efforts on planting seedlings in Higher Education Center (CATIE) in a that yearʼs cutting area. If buyers are areas with better solar exposure. Since special edition of the journal Recursos found for other timber species, these, most felling gaps have been found to be Naturales y Ambiente. The results in- too, are harvested, down to a minimum too small for the survival and growth clude the following. diameter that varies by species. Many of mahogany seedlings, efforts are of the forest ejidos in Quintana Roo now being focused on the largest gaps, Regeneration on clearings. Three stud- are now in the eighteenth or twentieth averaging about 1 800 m2. Experiments ies were carried out with support from year of their first cutting cycle, although have also been initiated on enlarging and CIFOR to evaluate ways of producing others became involved in forestry more cleaning felling gaps prior to plant- favourable conditions for mahogany re- recently. ing (at a density of 3 m x 3 m). This generation, whether planted or natural. Most ejidos collect seed (from felled or practice has become more feasible in One experiment evaluated the survival standing mahogany trees) and produce recent years with the increasing market and growth of mahogany seedlings on mahogany seedlings. After harvesting, for construction poles, but it typically clearings of different sizes (500 to they plant the seedlings on log yards, requires felling of trees smaller than 5 000 m2) and found that growth was in felling gaps and on skid trails in that the minimum cutting diameter. On log highest on the largest clearings. All yearʼs felling area. Seedlings and/or yards, where enrichment plantings have seedlings planted on control plots labour for these efforts have been paid been successful, at least one ejido is now under the forest canopy had died by for through either government-funded experimenting with cleaning, thinning the fifth year, confirming the futility programmes or reinvestment of earnings and pruning (Argüelles et al., 2003). Ad- of enrichment planting under shady from forestry. ditional observations will be necessary conditions (Snook, Negreros-Castillo to determine how much area needs to be and OʼConnor, 2003). RESEARCH AND ADAPTIVE regenerated each year to ensure future Another experiment evaluated different MANAGEMENT harvest volumes. ways to open 5 000 m2 clearings. Two of The community forestry organizations Collaborative arrangements between the methods – clearing by machine, which in Quintana Roo are dedicated to the the forestry organizations of Mexico uprooted all standing trees, and slash- principle of adaptive management, based and researchers, typically funded in ing, felling and burning – yielded good on learning by doing, initiating forestry large part from international sources, results: 50 percent survival of mahogany activities using the best available knowl- have also contributed to learning about seedlings at five years and annual height edge and modifying initial practices in how best to achieve sustainability. Over growth averaging 65 cm. Where natural light of new knowledge obtained from the past seven years, studies on ways of regeneration of other species was allowed observations or research (Flachsenberg sustaining mahogany have been carried around the mahogany seedlings, only 12 and Galletti, 1998). The first modifica- out in these production forests with sup- percent were attacked by the mahogany tion to initial management plans was a port from the Center for International shootborer, as compared with 44 percent reduction in annual cutting volumes, Forestry Research (CIFOR). where vegetation was cut back. Planting

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mahogany trees on clearings totalling provide a foundation for selecting these undermine natural forest management 3 to 6 percent of each annual cutting seed trees. as a land use. Despite the extent and area could provide for the replacement importance of natural forests in Quintana of the mahogany trees harvested (Snook CONCLUSIONS Roo, less government financial support and Negreros-Castillo, 2003). Sustaining mahogany in production is available for natural forest manage- A third experiment evaluated the es- forests is not simple, because trees ment than for plantation establishment tablishment of natural regeneration on of this species typically occur at low or reforestation of degraded lands; while 2 700 m2 areas, downwind of mahogany densities and are selectively harvested overall support to forestry is a fraction seed trees, which had been subjected to from a matrix of more abundant trees of government subsidies to agriculture, four different silvicultural treatments. of largely non-commercial species, particularly cattle ranching, which re- Natural regeneration became established leaving a nearly intact canopy and few quires forest clearing. Despite the sale where the canopy had been completely opportunities for the light-demanding of multiple products and services from removed, either by uprooting all stand- establishment of mahogany regenera- the forest, earnings from forestry are ing trees or through clearfelling, but not tion. However, in Mexicoʼs community insufficient, in many ejidos, to provide in areas where residual trees had been forests, where government funds have an adequate income to ejido members girdled or the understorey had been supported the establishment of nurser- and to cover the costs of the forest felled (Toledo and Snook, 2003). These ies and other silvicultural activities, and management services provided by the experiments confirm the value of plant- ejidos can count on the labour of their technical directorates. In response to ing or leaving seed trees on log yards members, enrichment planting is being this situation, efforts are being made to and suggest the potential to integrate carried out annually on each cutting improve the internal capacity of ejidos the use of slash-and-burn clearing as a area. Silvicultural practices continue in forestry, so that they can provide more forest management technique. to be refined in light of observations of their own forestry support services and measurements by managing forest- (Argüelles et al., 2003) Seed production. A study of the dynam- ers and complementary studies carried Despite the challenges, the Maya For- ics over six years of seed production out by collaborating researchers. These est provides livelihoods for thousands by mahogany trees of different sizes efforts are also providing a model for of local families, from mahogany and a revealed considerable variability from the management of community conces- spectrum of associated forest resources year to year and from tree to tree; but sions across the border in Guatemala and services, while sustaining a broad trees with diameters of 75 cm or greater (Gretzinger, 1998). array of environmental services and consistently produced many more seeds, Challenges to sustainable mahogany conserving biological diversity. As and produced seed more consistently, silviculture remain. Some of these re- CITES Appendix II protection comes than trees of smaller diameter. While flect the need for additional research, for into force, the management experience as many as 27 percent of trees with example, to determine how much area and research among the Maya For- diameter of less than 75 cm produced should be subjected to regeneration treat- est ejidos can provide useful lessons no seed in a given year, 93 percent of ments each year. Others are economic for mahogany-producing countries larger trees produced seed every year or institutional: limited markets for the seeking ways of producing mahogany (Snook, Camara Cabrales and Kelty, high standing volumes of hardwood and sustainably. ◆ 2003). These results have important softwood species reduce the economic implications for sustaining mahogany potential of the forest and make it costly regeneration, whether natural or planted: to create large openings for regeneration. unless some large mahogany trees are Under current regulations, only trees protected, harvesting mahogany to a larger than a minimum diameter can be minimum diameter limit will severely felled and clearings cannot be created deplete the seed production potential in permanent production forests. These in these forests. With support from guidelines limit the potential to apply Mexican government agencies, some more intensive silvicultural treatments ejidos have been delimiting seed pro- to foster mahogany regeneration. duction areas. The results of this study Other factors have the potential to

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para la planeación. Aguascalientes, (Swietenia macrophylla King): grounds Mexico. for listing a major tropical timber species Kammesheidt, L., Torres Lezama, A., in CITES. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Bibliography Franco, W. & Ponczak, M. 2001. History Society, 122: 35-46. of logging and silvicultural treatments in Snook, L.K. 2003. Regeneration, growth Argüelles, L.A, Synnott, T., Gutiérrez, S. & the western Venezuelan plain forests and sustainability of mahogany in del Ángel, B. 2003. Algunas experiencias and the prospects for sustainable forest Mexicoʼs Yucatan forests. In A. Lugo, J. con la regeneración y silvicultura de la management. Forest Ecology and Figueroa-Cólon & M. Alayón, eds. Big- caoba en la Selva Maya. Presented at the Management, 148: 1-20. leaf mahogany: genetics, ecology and workshop Regeneración de la caoba: Frutos Lamb, F.B. 1966. Mahogany of tropical management, p. 169-192. New York, USA, de 7 años de investigación colaborativa, America: its ecology and management. Springer Verlag. Chetumal, Mexico, 5-7 November. Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, University of Snook, L.K., Camara Cabrales, L. & Blundell, A.G. & Rodan, B.D. 2003. Michigan Press. Kelty, M. 2003. Insights from six years of Mahogany and CITES: moving beyond the Mayhew, J.E. & Newton, A.C. 1998. The seed production by mahogany (Swietenia veneer of legality. Oryx, 37(1): 85-90. silviculture of mahogany. Wallingford, UK, macrophylla) in Mexicoʼs Yucatan forests. Blundell, A.G. & Gullison, R.E. 2003. Poor CABI Publishing. Forest Ecology and Management (In regulatory capacity limits the ability of Morris, M.H., Negreros-Castillo, P. & Mize, press). science to influence the management of C. 2000. Sowing date, shade and irrigation Snook, L.K. & Negreros-Castillo, P. 2003. mahogany. Forest Policy and Economics, affect big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia Regenerating mahogany (Swietenia 5: 395-405. macrophylla King). Forest Ecology and macrophylla King) on clearings in Mexicoʼs Dickinson, M.B. & Whigham, D.F. Management, 132: 173-181. Maya Forest: the effects of clearing method 1999. Regeneration of mahogany in the Negreros-Castillo, P. & Mize, C.W. and cleaning on seedling survival and Yucatan. International Forestry Review, 2003. Enrichment planting and the growth. Forest Ecology and Management 1(1): 35-39. sustainable harvest of mahogany (In press). Flachsenberg, H. & Galletti, H. 1998. Forest (Swietenia macrophylla King) in Snook, L.K., Negreros-Castillo, P. & management in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Quintana Roo, Mexico. In A. Lugo, J. OʼConnor, J. 2003. Sobrevivencia y In R. Primack, D. Bray, H. Galletti & Figueroa-Cólon & M. Alayón, eds. Big- crecimiento de caoba en aberturas de I. Ponciano, eds. Timber, tourists and leaf mahogany: genetics, ecology and tamaños diferentes producidas de diferentes temples: conservation and development in management, p. 278-287. New York, maneras. Presented at the workshop the Maya Forest of Belize, Guatemala and USA, Springer Verlag. Regeneración de la caoba: Frutos de 7 años Mexico, p. 47-60. Washington, DC, USA, Patiño Valera, F. 1997. Genetic resources of de investigación colaborativa, Chetumal, Island Press. Swietenia and Cedrela in the Neotropics: Mexico, 5-7 November. Gretzinger, S.P. 1998. Community forest proposals for coordinated action. FAO Toledo, M. & Snook, L.K. 2003. concessions: an economic alternative for Forest Genetic Resources, 25: 20-32. Regeneración natural de la caoba después the Maya Biosphere Reserve in the Petén, Rice, R.E., Gullison, R.E. & Reid, J.W. de cuatro tratamientos silviculturales Guatemala. In R. Primack, D. Bray, H. 1997. Can sustainable management save en Belice. Presented at the workshop Galletti & I. Ponciano, eds. Timber, tourists tropical forests? Scientific American, Regeneración de la caoba: Frutos de 7 años and temples: conservation and development 276(4): 34-39. de investigación colaborativa, Chetumal, in the Maya Forest of Belize, Guatemala Robinson, C. 1998. Selective logging and Mexico, 5-7 November. and Mexico, p.111-124. Washington, DC, sustainable silviculture at the Rio Bravo Watson, F. 1996. A view from the forest floor: USA, Island Press. Conservation and Management Area in the impact of logging on indigenous peoples Grogan, J., Barreto, P. & Veríssimo, A. northwestern Belize. M.Sc. project. Durham, in Brazil. Botanical Journal of the Linnean 2002. Mahogany in the Brazilian Amazon: North Carolina, USA, Duke University. Society, 122: 75-87. ecology and perspectives on management. Rodan, B.D. & Blundell, A.G. 2003. Can Whitman, A., Brokaw, N.V.L. & Hagan, Belém, Brazil, IMAZON. sustainable mahogany stem from CITES J.M. 1997. Forest damage caused by Instituto Nacional de Estadística, science? Bioscience, 53(7): 619. selection logging of mahogany (Swietenia Geografía e Informática (INEGI). 1990. Snook, L.K. 1996. Catastrophic disturbance, macrophylla) in northern Belize. Forest Quintana Roo cuaderno de información logging and the ecology of mahogany Ecology and Management, 92: 87-96. ◆

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