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Project Background
Xaté palms (Chamaedorea spp.) in Belize
The project seeks to:
- better understand the systematics and ecology of the xaté species that occur in Belize
- quantify Belize's xaté resource base
- explore the effects of harvesting on wild xaté populations
- determine sustainable yields of xaté leaves and seeds
- develop a Management Plan for the Chiquibul Forest Reserve
- determine the evolutionary relationships (phylogeny) of Chamaedorea species
- assess the genetic status of xaté to determine the danger of depletion of genetic variation in wild populations from introduction of non-Belizean plants into plantations
- identify genetic markers to underpin a Verifiable Certification Scheme.
- investigate the potential to cultivate xaté in different silvi-agricultural systems, improve public and farmer awareness of xaté, and to publish a user-friendly guide for use in resource assessment.
