Economical Valuation of Allspice (Pimenta dioica) Production for the Restoration Strategies Proposed for the Recovery of 'Los Tuxtlas' Livestock Pastures (Veracruz, Mexico)

Abstract

"Laguna Escondida is an 'ejido' that is part of the natural protected area "Reserva de Biosfera Los Tuxtlas.' Currently, 71% of the surface of Laguna Exondida is occupied by livestock, which strongly influences the loss of the 'ejido' forest. The cultural acceptance of this productive activity is a result of several social factors related to the lack of alternative opportunities and the pressure for better incomes from the local population. Restoration initiatives for the region should incorporate these socio-economic demands and the stakeholders' participation in the proposal's design. As an alternative, in this study a restoration strategy was analyzed on the basis of the establishment of live fences with commercial use - using Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. - in the cattle ranch area. The viability of the proposal was evaluated on the basis of the performance of P. dioica on: (1) the establishment of a demonstrative plot/ (2) the growth and yield projection for the species; (3) the analysis of the individuals' morphological variation according to their growing site; (4) the analysis of the environmental modifications as consequence of the presnece of P. dioica in the cattle area; and (5) the analysis of the commercial value of the proposal. As a result, it was observed that: (1) survivorship of P. dioica was successful (58%) on pasture land conditions; (2) in the pasture area, trees grew three times faster than trees developing inside the forest; (3) P. dioica trees improve the environmental conditions of the pasture; and (4) its establishment in live fences around the cattle area is profitable and economically competitive with the current 'ejido' livestock activity. These results allowed us to conclude that P. dioica has a high biological potential for the restoration initiatives; and its use as part of the live fences system in a commercial valuable alternative for the restoration of the pasture areas of Laguna Escondida."