Impact of Women’s Harvest Practices on Pandanus guillaumetii in Madagascar’s Lowland Rainforests1

• Published in: Economic botany Vol. 65; no. 2; pp. 158 - 168
• Main Authors: Fedele, Giacomo, Urech, Zora Lea, Rehnus, Maik, Sorg, Jean-Pierre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.06.2011
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Life Sciences; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Ecology; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; harvest impact; leaf harvest; Madagascar; harvest practices; non-timber forest product
• DOI: 10.1007/s12231-011-9157-0
• ISSN: 0013-0001

Impact of Women’s Harvest Practices on Pandanus guillaumetii in Madagascar’s Lowland Rainforests. Pandanus guillaumetii B.C. Stone is endemic to the east coast rainforests of Madagascar. The plant is an important non-timber forest product (NTFP) for the local population living near these forests, and its leaves are collected by women to be woven into mats. These mats have economic value and are also used for daily activities. At present, little is known about how local harvesting practices impact this plant species. In this study, we describe women’s local harvest practices and quantify their impact on the P. guillaumetii population. We carried out plant inventories as well as interviews and participatory observations with local people harvesting P. guillaumetii in two villages with different population densities in the Manompana region. Inventories were conducted at varying distances from the villages in order to better understand the influence of human pressure on the plant population. The results suggest that local communities apply practices that tend to minimize the harvest impact on the plant. Harvesting seems to have no effect on the actual density of P. guillaumetii . However, the availability of plants with leaves of sufficient quality for mat production is influenced by human pressure. Considering the decreasing number of plants suitable for handicraft, we assume that their availability in the long term may not fulfill the needs of the local people.