This was a talk I gave at the 2016 North American Congress for Conservation Biology conference in Madison, Wisconsin.
My blog: cromulo.wordpress.com
~~ Title ~~
What makes conservation workshops work? An assessment of community-based aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa) management interventions in the Peruvian Amazon
~~Abstract~~
Many conservation organizations provide management training and workshops in the Peruvian Amazon. At least 8 organizations teach sustainable harvest workshops specifically focused on climbing techniques to communities who harvest fruit from aguaje palms (Mauritia flexuosa). This is because even though the timber is not used, female trees are cut down to harvest the fruit. As the dominant species of the aguajal ecosystem, which covers about 10% of the Peruvian Amazon, aguaje management is critical to maintaining regional biodiversity. This study visited 24 communities and conducted over 500 interviews with heads of households and community leaders. Of these, 10 communities have participated in climbing workshops, but only two harvest by climbing. Our results highlight a lack of practice, access to materials, or technical difficulty as reasons for not climbing. Of the 14 communities that have not participated in climbing workshops, 5 have been approached and offered workshops but either declined or have not received follow-up to the original communication. These findings provide needed recommendations for more effective sustainable harvest workshops.
