TITLE:
Areas with Potential for Commercial Timber Plantations of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb. in Michoacán, México
AUTHORS:
Hipólito Jesús Muñoz-Flores, J. Trinidad Sáenz-Reyes, Agustín Rueda-Sánchez, David Castillo-Quiroz, Francisco Castillo-Reyes, Diana Yemilet Avila-Flores
KEYWORDS:
Potential Areas, Michoacán, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Commercial Forest Plantations, Geographic Information System
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.6 No.5,
October
27,
2016
ABSTRACT: Michoacán
has a deforested area of 525,260 ha, representing 52,526 ha per year, mainly
caused by anthropogenic disturbances such as agricultural burning and forest
fires (50%), change of use of land for extensive livestock farming (28%),
agriculture (17%) and illegal logging (5%). The establishment of forest
plantations is an alternative for reducing the pressure on natural forests and
creating options for sustainable development and diversification of production
and conversion of land for agricultural and livestock fragmented for forestry
purposes. The aim of this study was to determine the potential areas for
commercial forest plantations of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb.
in the State of Michoacán, México, through the use of Geographic information
systems (GIS). Areas were identified using IDRISI 32, and ArcView software.
Screening variables include annual temperature, annual precipitation, land use,
soil type, elevation and slope. Products obtained were field verified. Two maps
where potential areas for the establishment of commercial forest plantations of E. cyclocarpum shown were obtained.
Potential areas for commercial forest plantation establishment are (0% - 15%
slope) for commercial forest plantations mechanized was 57,227 ha and (15% - 30%
slope) for manual plantations was 6273 ha. The total area in the state with
potential for the establishment of the species in the study was 63,500 ha.