The ivory palm tree, also known as tagua, is endemic to the Chocó-Darien region on the Pacific coast of South America. The local population relies on this unique tree for many uses and the tagua fruit, nuts, and leaves provide materials for a range of products. Two studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE) explore the ecosystem services provided by tagua in coastal Ecuador.
Based on the focus group discussions, the research team identified 28Provisioning services include practical purposes, such as material for buttons, artisanal crafts, and roof thatching, as well as human food and medicine. Regulating services include, for example, habitat conservation, pollinator attraction, and shade for humans and animals. Supporting services refer to the palm's interaction with animals and other plants in the environment.
For the second study, the research team developed a survey to further explore and quantify the importance of different ecosystem services. They collected responses from 80 tagua harvesters in six communities, all with less than 200 inhabitants and a high poverty rate. "These villages are some of the poorest in Ecuador. It's important to understand how they feel about the different services that nature is providing them. Policymaking shouldn't happen from the top down; it should be based on input from the communities," he added.
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