NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Artisans continue to rely on traditional methods and local resources that have sustained them for centuries. Over time, population growth, competition, conflict, climate change, or new and sometimes forced re-settlement patterns have disrupted traditional use patterns. Yet today, resources remain the currency of continued cultural and economic survival and must be planned and managed depending on the life cycle and habitat requirements in order to ensure sustainable practices.
fronds are harvested from the new growth at the top
Ayoreo Natural Resource Managment
Learn more about the Ayoreo
The Gran Chaco Ecosystem is distributed between four countries: Argentina, Brasil, Paraguay, and Bolivia. The Ayoreo people are thought to have originated in Paraguay and Bolivia. The Gran Chaco is the second largest ecosystem in South America and is known for its incredibly high biodiversity. Ayoreo women have received both economic and social benefits from their managed dajudie community farm, but these domesticated groves, as well as the entire natural ecosystems of the Gran Chaco, continue to be threatened by expanding soybean agriculture, deforestation, and climate change.
Dajudie grows in the dry forest of the Chaco
In past Ayoreo traveled long distances to harvest
Eida tends the planted dajudie garden
Ye'kwana Natural Resource Managment
Learn more about the Ye'kwana
Minñato (Heteropsis spp), is widely harvested throughout the tropics for crafts, furniture, and roofing of traditional dwellings, and has become threatened in many South American countries. In Venezuela, it has many uses beyond women’s baskets. With a >60-year life cycle, its survival depends on managed harvest.
A mature plant has many aerial roots, and research has shown the plant will survive if more than 50% of the roots are retained. The Ye’kwana understand the limits of harvesting. But today, these forests have been infiltrated by many users, including gold miners, mercenaries, and commercial enterprises, threatening its sustainable use and creating an uncertain future for this species and the people who depend on it.
The vines are cut, rolled and carried back to village
Management Activities were studied and shared
Women provided data and created harvesting maps
Wounaan Natural Resource Managment
Learn more about the Wounaan
In both Panama and Colombia, black palm known as chunga was cut down to access the leaves at the top rather than try to climb it because of the long spines along its trunk. This destructive harvesting resulted in scarcity during the 1990s. Because basket production had become an important source of income, a half-moon shaped blade (medialuna) was designed as a harvesting tool. It is put on the end of a long straight branch to reach the uppermost leaves. If the palm is too tall, it must be harvested by climbing an adjacent tree, and then cutting with the medialuna. This, plus active planting, harvesting fewer leaves annually, and agroforestry programs seems to have stabilized the resource (at the time of the last investigation in 2013).
Provides fruit & fibers from new growth at the very top
Not possible to climb
Attached to long straight pole to reach top fronds
