Metroxylon vitiense threatened

[fiji jim]

A serious matter here lately is the very fast destruction of these palms in their habitat locations.

At present we are involved with a NGO to educate users of this palm and to offer alternatives and to also petition the Government to outlaw the felling of them.

It is estimated that about 200 are felled each week for the heart and sold on the roadside and the Indo-Fijians curry them as it is a cheap alternative to other staples like cassava or tapioca and dalo or taro.

Also the resorts have them felled to use the thatching for the roof coverings of their buildings. They believe that it is the nice Fijian or island look and one resort in Pacific Harbour region has plans to fell another 200 soon for that purpose.

The only mature ones left standing on our island have lost their foliage and now seeding and will die as they are monocarpic.

We hope to encourage the Fijian landowners to cultivate them but the return on a 15 to 20 year palm for palm heart is only 5 FJD. The thatch would be worth more but no-one here has the interest in the long-term even though there are many thousands of acres that are water-logged and good for nothing else but something like these that will literally grow in a swamp.

So we would like some information of other fast growing species to introduce for the harvest of the heart and also some good for thatch. This way we can help preserve this endemic species.

Also I have seen an artificial thatch that was made from recycled plastic and would appreciate any information on that so as to promote it to the resorts.

We feel that if there are some constructive, positive alternatives given; we may get the correct response and appreciation for this disappearing palm before it is gone altogether from it's homes in the bush clearings.

So all input would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim

[Jeff Searle]

Jim,

I'm sorry to hear about the rapid destruction of this palm in habitat. It's a shame, and unfortunately will be hard to stop. But you have a great idea about planting other palms that can be used for hearts of palms. There are some different species of Bactris that are used and Euterpe oleracea and E. precatoria are used as well. These are both good examples that are fast growing and seeds can be bought at almost any time. Good luck...

Jeff

[waykoolplantz]

Glad i just got 5 more seedlings....get them going to replace my soon to seed big one

i hope when mine seeds ...that they are viable and i'll have many seeds to distribute

[John in Andalucia]

A serious matter here lately is the very fast destruction of these palms in their habitat locations.

At present we are involved with a NGO to educate users of this palm and to offer alternatives and to also petition the Government to outlaw the felling of them.

It is estimated that about 200 are felled each week for the heart and sold on the roadside and the Indo-Fijians curry them as it is a cheap alternative to other staples like cassava or tapioca and dalo or taro.

Also the resorts have them felled to use the thatching for the roof coverings of their buildings. They believe that it is the nice Fijian or island look and one resort in Pacific Harbour region has plans to fell another 200 soon for that purpose.

The only mature ones left standing on our island have lost their foliage and now seeding and will die as they are monocarpic.

We hope to encourage the Fijian landowners to cultivate them but the return on a 15 to 20 year palm for palm heart is only 5 FJD. The thatch would be worth more but no-one here has the interest in the long-term even though there are many thousands of acres that are water-logged and good for nothing else but something like these that will literally grow in a swamp.

So we would like some information of other fast growing species to introduce for the harvest of the heart and also some good for thatch. This way we can help preserve this endemic species.

Also I have seen an artificial thatch that was made from recycled plastic and would appreciate any information on that so as to promote it to the resorts.

We feel that if there are some constructive, positive alternatives given; we may get the correct response and appreciation for this disappearing palm before it is gone altogether from it's homes in the bush clearings.

So all input would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim

On the cure v. prevention front, the first thing I would do is collect as many seeds as possible and sell them on Palmtalk, to people who care about palms. You could sell a whole load to one IPS member and we'd all buy a share. I know I would. That's got to be one remedy to the impending doom. How else would Tahina spectabilis have gotten the same boost?

[amazondk]

Jim,

Do you mean the palm cabbage or the use of the heart of the palm log? I thought that I saw that this and other similar species were used by splitting the log and using the starch much like cassava. Does Fiji have environmental laws that would make it illegal to harvest such trees? Or programs for habitat integrity and/or restoration?

dk

[fiji jim]

Good to see some interest in this.

Yes Don Fiji does have some laws concerning plant protection but it is a lengthy process to have a particular species recognised as being threatened but the ball is rolling and with some luck and enforcement (the hardest and least likely to happen) they may be saved as there are many seedlings in the areas where all the mature palms are being killed.

Check the pic. The palm is felled to obtain the heart. These are for sale every day on the main highway in Fiji for 5 dollars or about 3 USD.

Jim

[amazondk]

Jim,

You are right the enforcement is more of a problem than making the laws or the natural reserves. As to palm heart the Bactris gasipaes is a good candidate as it grows fast, is clumping, and the palm heart is of good quality. Euterpe olearcea is also a good one with similar qualities. The texture of the palm heart is a lot different. I made some out of a coconut the neighbor cut down and it was quite good. As to thatching Attaleas are used extensively around here. They also have good palm heart. But, take longer to grow than B. gasipaes.

Do you have any habitat pictures of the palms and the destruction?

dk

[cfkingfish]

Jim-

Try to initiate a program to show natives that the seed is worth more than the palm and that they can re-establish the plant for future generations. Willy Tang did this for Debao in China and saved Cycas debaoensis from extinction in habitat. If they knew they could make $1000 from the seed as opposed to $100 for the trunk then they would be more likely to back off felling the palm prematurely. They can sell 500 seed from a plant and germinate another 100 to plant back in the wild.

I think that although bringing in another palm is a great idea, it asks for a plant to become invasive. It could do more damage than good. Fiji has its own personal version of CITES (If I remember correctly) and plants like Cyphosperma tanga are well protected. They are, however, in remote areas where they will be alright as they sit.

[Scott Zona]

Roystonea regia makes an excellent crop for heart-of-palm, and its flavor is superior to that of many other palms. In Honduras, I have seen it grown in rows like corn, spaced only a few centimeters apart. The palms are grown from seed to harvest in only 16 months! The hearts are small, but what they lack in size, they make up for in quantity. The small size was desirable, as the hearts were destined to be canned. Alternatively, one could easily get good-sized hearts out of Roystonea in 2-4 years in the good soil and rainfall of a place like Fiji.

The tricky part, of course, is getting people to try something different.

Good luck.

Scott

[fiji jim]

Thank you all for your input.

Also it would be helpful to know the durability of various palm leaves when used for thatching.

The Metroxylon vitiensis leaves are rather waxy and will last a long time compared to coconut fronds.

However I am not knowledgeable about other palm leaves used for the same purpose.

So perhaps those who have resided some time in third-world or developing countries that use thatched roofs and houses will have some ideas.

Jim

[Jeff Searle]

Roystonea regia makes an excellent crop for heart-of-palm, and its flavor is superior to that of many other palms. In Honduras, I have seen it grown in rows like corn, spaced only a few centimeters apart. The palms are grown from seed to harvest in only 16 months! The hearts are small, but what they lack in size, they make up for in quantity. The small size was desirable, as the hearts were destined to be canned. Alternatively, one could easily get good-sized hearts out of Roystonea in 2-4 years in the good soil and rainfall of a place like Fiji.

The tricky part, of course, is getting people to try something different.

Good luck.

Scott

Scott,

Thats very interesting and new to me. You didn't happen to get some pictures of these planted did you? If so, I would really love to see it.

Jeff

[Carlo Morici]

If you are in time, try to conveince authorities to enforce the law, contact conservation groups abroad, conveince local peoples to campaign or talk at the local TV/Newspaper about this.

If you are really in a rush, and there is no time because the next trees will be felled "tomorrow", then collect seeds from different mother plants to ensure diversity. Share the seeds to people and gardens around the area. Try to give some to local commercial plant nurseries, and make your friends buy a few when the first plants are purchaseable.

Carlo

[www.dadluvsu.com]

Here's waykoolpantz's crew getting loaded up with M. vitiensis seedlings and doing their part for the conservation on our soil. Obviously something funny was being said at the moment. Maybe we should have taken two pics just for the cheese factor.

[chris.oz]

Jim,

For sustainable palm heart there are several very good alternatives:

Bactris gasipaes and Euterpe come to mind. There are superior forms of each of these in terms of taste,

Perhaps most importantly from a sustainability point of view they are clumpers, so can be harvested on a more sustainable basis.

Check this out:

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceed...993/v2-465.html

This sort of paper may form the basis of some government sponsored program, since the program has been tried in Hawaii

there may be some potential for aid, soft loans etc, which governments of this type of economy always seem to look for as part of a

new program.

[fiji jim]

Thanks again for the input.

Scott, like Jeff I would also be interested to know more and see some pics of the commercial plantings of Roystonea regia for palm heart.

That would be a great one for Fiji as seed is plentiful and they grow like crazy but no one has ever thought of them as more than an avenue palm.

Also I must apologize for the incorrect spelling 'vitiense' is the proper name. Perhaps the moderator will kindly correct that. (Done)

Jim

[amazondk]

Jim,

There is a company in southern Brazil that sprcializes in roystonea palms for palm hearts. I found another one using Archontophoenix Alexandrae. They are using these as substitutes for Euterpe edulis which has been heavily harvested in it's native habitat.

dk

Here is the link with a few pictures, but it is in Portuguese. Roystonea palm heart

[fiji jim]

Thanks Don,

Will check out that one.

Can translate with bablefish.

Cheers,

Jim