Forest communities and the marketing of lesser-known species from Mesoamerica René Forster Harald Albrecht Mirna Belisle Arturo Caballero Hugo Galletti Orlando Lacayo Spencer Ortiz Forest Communities and the Marketing of Lesser-used Tropical Hardwoods in Mesoamerica Forest Communities and the Marketing of Lesser-used Tropical Hardwoods in Mesoamerica René Forster Harald Albrecht Mirna Belisle Arturo Caballero Hugo Galletti Orlando Lacayo Spencer Ortiz Dawn Robinson Translation: Cathy Barnett and Karen Eaton Forest Communities and the Marketing of Lesser-used Tropical Hardwoods in Mesoamerica Original title: Comunidades forestales y el mercadeo de maderas tropicales poco comerciales de Mesoamérica English Translation by Cathy Barnett and Karen Eaton 1st edition Cover design by Guadalupe González / Libertad Mena. The cover photo depicts a mayan durmientero carrying a hand hewn beam used as railroad tie (durmiente), which weights more than 80 kg. The opinions expressed in this work may not necessarily coincide with those of the financing institutions; these are the exclusive responsibility of the main author. ISBN: 968-7864-47-8 Printed in Mexico To our children: Mario, Alfredo, María Fernanda, Manuel, Spencer, Grecia María, Stephanie Azucena, Paola, Victoria, Levin and Erika CONTENTS Index to boxes . 9 Abbreviations . 11 Acknowledgements . 13 Executive Summary. 15 1 Introduction. 23 1.1 Conceptual approach . 23 1.2 Study Regions . 24 1.2.1 The Reserva de la Biosfera Maya (RBM) in the Petén, Guatemala. 25 1.2.2 The Atlántida Forest Region - Honduras. 27 1.2.3 The state of Quintana Roo - Mexico. 31 1.2.4 Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte (RAAN) - Nicaragua. 34 1.3 Methodology. 37 2 Forest Resources . 39 2.1 Forested areas. 39 2.2 Potential annual harvest. 40 2.2.1 Potential annual harvest in the RBM (Petén) . 41 2.2.2 Potential annual harvest in the Atlántida. 43 2.2.3 Potential annual harvest in Quintana Roo . 45 2.2.4 Potential annual harvest in the RAAN. 46 3 Forest Use. 49 3.1 The rise of community forestry. 49 3.2 Regulation of forest use. 50 3.3 Characterization of forest operations . 51 3.4 Groups of forestry operations. 55 4 Tropical Hardwood Processing Chains. 57 4.1 Development of industrial infrastructure in the study regions . 57 4.2 Common characteristics of regional production chains . 58 4.3 Production chains in which private companies control extraction and primary processing . 59 4.4 Chains where community operations control extractions and sawing . 60 4.5 Production chains based on chainsawn lumber or hand-hewn beams . 60 4.6 Community operations - private industry cooperative partnerships . 62 5 Current Markets for Lesser-used Species . 63 5.1 Historical trends in markets for lesser-known species . 63 5.1.1 Developments in mahogany substitute markets. 63 5.1.2 Independent uses of lesser-known species. 64 5.2. Timber volumes currently utilized . 66 5.2.1 Petén. 66 5.2.2 Estimated volume harvested in the Atlántida (Honduras). 67 5.2.3 Quintana Roo. 67 5.2.4 Production by species in Nicaragua. 67 5.3 Principal markets . 68 5.3.1 Markets for timber from the Petén. 68 5.3.2 Markets for hardwoods from the Atlántida. 74 5.3.3 Markets for species from Quintana Roo. 75 5.3.4 Markets for species from the RAAN. 77 5.4 Prices. 79 6 Limitations in the Marketing of the Lesser-used Species . 81 6.1 Basic limitations of lesser-used species . 81 6.2 Management capacity in community operations. 82 6.3 Frictions between community operations and private businesses. 86 6.4 Shortcomings of private processing companies. 90 6.5 Financing . 92 7 Marketing Opportunities for Lesser-used Species . 95 7.1 Certification. 95 7.2 Lesser-used species and promising markets. 96 7.2.1 Petén. 96 7.2.2 Atlántida. 97 7.2.3 Quintana Roo. 97 7.2.4 RAAN. 98 7.3 New forms of cooperation between forestry operations and private business in the Petén. 98 8 Experiences Introducing Lesser-used Species into Markets. 101 8.1 Promotion of new species . 101 8.1.1 Wood promotional centers. 101 8.1.2 Commercial promotion projects . 103 8.1.3 Private businesses . 103 8.2 Improvements in marketing. 107 8.2.1 Improvements in the business capacity of forestry operations. 107 8.2.2 “Bridge” initiatives. 110 8.2.3 Promotion of the secondary industry. 111 8.3 Vertical integration. 111 8.4 Improving recovery rates and taking advantage of by-products . 114 9 Conclusions and Recommendations. 121 9.1 Conclusions. 121 9.2 Recommendations . 123 9.3 Recommended follow-up proposals. 124 1. Micro-credit financing program for forestry production . 124 2. Improvements in wood extraction procedures. 125 3. Developing primary processing products . 125 4. Promoting wood commerce . 126 5. Secondary industry promotion . 127 6. Production and marketing tests: Motorsawn and handhewn wood beams and planks . 128 7. Production trials with lesser-used species . 129 8. Proposed themes for discussion. 129 9. Proposed technical studies about lesser-used species. 130 Bibliography . 131 Appendix 1 Glossary. 133 Appendix 2 Scientific and common names of important Mesoamerican species . 135 Appendix 3 Promisory woods of Mesoamérica. 143 INDEX TO BOXES Box 1. The long and winding road to community forestry in the RBM . 26 Box 2. Petén, Guatemala. 28 Box 3. The rise of community forestry in the Atlántida/Honduras. 29 Box 4. Atlántida, Honduras . 30 Box 5. Reinventing community forestry in Quintana Roo. 32 Box 6. Quintana Roo, Mexico. 33 Box 7. First steps towards community forestry: the RAAN . 35 Box 8. Autonomous Region of the North Atlantic (ANAR), Nicaragua . 36 Box 9. Forest areas in Mesoamerica [hectares] . 39 Box 10. Potential annual harvest of hardwoods and extrapolated annual potential . 40 Box 11. Potential annual harvest in the RBM . 42 Box 12. Potential annual harvest in the Atlántida (37 forest operations) . 44 Box 13. Potential annual harvest in Quintana Roo . 45 Box 14. Weighted average of exploitable volume in the RAAN . 46 Box 15. Noh Bec, a forest ejido in Quintana Roo . 53 Box 16. Will.