POPULATION STATUS AND HARVEST LEVELS OF WILD LAUREL (Litsea glaucencens Kunth) IN AGUASCALIENTES STATE

Abstract

For its traditional uses and its potential for exploitation, the Mexican bay or laurel (Litsea glaucescens) is one of the most important non-timber forest species in Mexico. However, the unregulated exploitation to which it is subjected as well as the ignorance of the status that its natural populations keep have put its survival at risk. For this reason it is officially considered an endangered species. This project had as objectives to locate and know the current situation of the populations of L. glaucescens in Aguascalientes, as well as to determine the effect of illegal harvesting. A thorough review of various sources was made as well as an extensive fieldwork to find the distribution of this species in the state. In addition, three representative localities were chosen, based upon the ownership of land, in which extraction was quantified in order to know its effect over the population structure of the species. Results show that there are still several populations of L. glaucescens in the state, but only one can be considered in good conditions. It was also noted that the exploitation rate is related to the tenure of ownership and accessibility of the location. Over-collection is related to the traditional use of the species in the “Domingo de Ramos” ceremony. This affects the sexual recruitment of the populations that are subjected as it inhibits seed production.