Scientific publication (e.g., journal articles and book chapters independently peer-reviewed)
What loggers leave behind: Impacts on big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) commercial populations and potential for post-logging recovery in the Brazilian Amazon
the federal government put in place a moratorium on its trade in 2001. This led to changes in forest legislation in 2003 setting strict guidelines for harvest operations involving mahogany
Threats/Pressures impacting the conservation of the species
Protecting a forest logged once for mahogany from second and third incursions by loggers seeking secondary timber species – and any high-value mahogany trees surviving the first cut – is almost impossible in remote regions where forest legislation is rarely enforced.
Is the use part of a strategy to generate conservation incentives, to finance conservation, or to improve tolerance/stewardship?
Yes
Is there evidence that the use is affecting the conservation status of the species? HIDE
Yes – use is negatively affecting the status (e.g., population is declining; extraction effort is increasing)
Is there evidence that the use is affecting natural selection?
Unknown/not recorded
Is there evidence that the use is affecting poaching of illegal wildlife trade?
Unknown/not reported
Is there any evidence that this use of the species is having a knock-on effect on the status of non-target species
Unknown/not recorded
Unknown/not recorded
Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out
These results indicate that 80% harvest intensity will not be sustainable over multiple cutting cycles for most populations without silvicultural interventions ensuring establishment and long-term growth of artificial regeneration to augment depleted natural stocks, including repeated tending of outplanted seedlings. Without improved harvest protocols for mahogany in Brazil as explored in this paper, future commercial supplies of this species as well as other high-value tropical timbers are endangered. Following current harvest regulations for mahogany, commercial population recovery during 30 years would be sufficient to allow second harvests at only two sites (C and D). Regrettably, recovery at either site is unlikely since both have already been conventionally logged.
Has a valuation of financial flows from this use at the site/national/international level been recorded
Grogan, J., Jennings, S., Landis, R., Schulze, M., Baima, A., & Lopes, J. et al. (2008). What loggers leave behind: Impacts on big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) commercial populations and potential for post-logging recovery in the Brazilian Amazon. Forest Ecology And Management, 255(2), 269-281. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2007.09.048
Mahogany was logged by the conventional or ‘predatory’
model in Brazil (Uhl and Vieira, 1989; Uhl et al., 1991; Ver ́ıssimo et al., 1992, 1995) until widespread illegality and corruption forced the federal government to place a moratorium on its trade in 2001. This led to changes in forest legislation in 2003 setting strict guidelines for harvest operations involving mahogany
Projecting observed growth rates by surviving trees over 30 years and subtracting individuals according to mortality rates detailed in Section 3.4., we estimate that commercial densities (currently 60 cm diameter) will recover to 9.9–37.5% of pre- logging densities at the three logged sites