SUME workshop in Lima, 26-27 October 2017
Instituto de Ciencias de la Naturaleza,
Territorio y Energía Renovables,
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
(INTE-PUCP)
Author: Dr Marina Rosales - Federico Villarreal
National University, Peru.
Abstract for:
Sustainable use is
crucial. It is one of the three objectives set out in the Convention on Biological
Diversity. It is defined as the use of components of biological diversity in a
way and at a rate that does not lead to the long-term decline of biological
diversity, thereby maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations
of present and future generations (https://www.cbd.int/convention/articles/default.shtml?a=cbd-02). Sustainable use is a cross-cutting issue to
be developed in all sectors for our sustainable development. According to the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization - FAO, 40% of the world's economy is based directly and indirectly on the use
of biological resources. On the other hand, we need to consider sustainable
use taking account of resilience-based ecosystem stewardship.
Resilience is a concept
that embraces change as a prominent feature of systems, responding to and
shaping change in ways that benefit society. We should address ecosystems as
interrelated and providing a suite of ecosystem services, rather than a single
resource, such as fish, fauna or trees. Hence, it is vital to focus on
stewardship, which recognizes the management as an integral component of the
system that is managed. The challenge is to anticipate change and shape it for
sustainability in a manner that does not lead to loss of future options (Folke
et al. 2003 in Chapin et al., 2009). Ecosystem stewardship should consider that
society’s use of resources must be compatible with the capacity of ecosystems
to provide services, which, in turn, is constrained by the life- support system
of the planet (Chapin et al., 2009).
Therefore, risk
management, sustainability, and resilience are key. Economic theory
acknowledges that there is an increasing complexity of issues as there is a
move from managing risk, to supporting resilience, and ultimately enabling
sustainability. Resilience should be focused on short and long term
adaptability, while sustainability takes a longer term ‘future generations’
stance (Saunders et al., 2015 in Chapin et al., 2009). Therefore, risk
management, sustainability, and resilience are key. Furthermore, in the face of
climate change we must focus on integrated use of sustainability and resilience
in an environmental management context.
The sustainable use and
benefit sharing are also effective tools to combat poverty, and, consequently,
to achieve sustainable development. In this context, there are recommendations
for applying sustainable use in the "Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the
Sustainable Use of Biodiversity - AAPG" and the "Satoyama Initiative".
The first consists of fourteen interdependent practical principles,
operational guidelines and a few instruments for their implementation that
govern the uses of components of biodiversity to ensure the sustainability of
such uses. The second initiative makes use of both the ecosystem approach and
the AAPG for the sustainable use of biological diversity.
Taking account of these
background concepts, initiatives on wildlife sustainable use in South America
were reviewed, noting that many countries use a higher proportion of
wild-sourced than captive bred and ranched fauna specimens. Ornamental plants
are artificially propagated, vegetatively and in-vitro. Four of twelve South
American countries have export quotas authorized for ornamental plants
in 2017 by CITES: Colombia, from wild and captive bred, six species and 12,295
specimens; Guyana, from mainly wild, 56 species and 176,148 specimens; Peru,
from wild, one species (Swietenia
macrophylla) for 281,694 m3 of sawn wood; and, Surinam for 43
species and 151,916 specimens mainly wild-sourced.
The data on South America
species from Bolivia includes Caiman
crocodilus “spectacled caiman”, Arapaima
gigas “arapaima”, Pecari tajacu
“collared peccary”, Tayassu pecari
“white-lipped peccary”, Swietenia
macrophylla “mahogany”, Cedrela
odorata “cedar” and Vicugna vicugna
“vicuña”, mostly wild-sourced. However, this country also exported C. crocodilus skins and A. gigas meat until 2007, peccary’s
skins until 2008 and S. macrophylla
sawn wood until 2012 (Sinovas et al., 2017).
Brazil has managed orchids by artificially propagating live plants,
captive breeding and ranching, also A.
gigas and C. crocodilus, captive
bred Chelonoides carbonarius “red-footed
tortoises”, and wild-sourced mahogany. Colombia has exported C. crocodilus derived from captive
breeding as skins, tails and meat, B.
constrictor “boa” and Iguana iguana
“green iguana” from captive breeding, Strombus
gigas “queen conch” meat from wild- sources and orchids from artificial
propagation. Ecuador has been exporting wild-sourced brown sea cucumber (Isostichopus fuscus) and artificially
propagated live orchids. Guyana exports from the wild more than approximately
50 species including Ara arauna, A, chloropterus, Cebus appella and C.
olivaceus. Peru has been exporting peccaries, parrots, cedar, mahogany and
vicuna from the wild, ranched Podocnemis
unifilis “yellow spotted river turtle”, captive-bred A. gigas, and artificially propagated orchids and cacti. Suriname
exports wildlife mainly as 43 wild-sourced species, including macaws A. araruna, A. chloropterus, A. macao,
A. severus and monkeys Saguinus midas and Saimiri sciereus. Venezuela has exported spectacled caiman from
wild sources and ranched, red-footed tortoises and yellow spotted river turtle
from captive breeding, and artificially propagated orchids.
It is important to note
also the international trade based on sustainable use by considering historical
data trade. Peru exported 1´201,524 skins of collared peccary and 405,935 skins
of white lipped peccary; these skins were derived from bushmeat activities,
during 1985-2011 period (Rosales, 2014).
An annual average of
approximately 770,000 skins were exported from the South America over the
period 2005-2014, with the majority (87%) reported as captive-bred C. crocodilus fuscus from Colombia (Sinovas et al., 2017). Globally, mahogany was
exported mainly from Brazil (410,359 m3), Peru (342,352 m3),
Fiji (326,403 m3) and (211,469 m3) as sawn wood during
1995-2011. Cedar was also exported as sawn wood by Brazil (879,132 m3),
Bolivia (368,405 m3) and Peru (212,607 m3) (Rosales,
2014). Since 2007, export volumes declined over the ten-year period as a result
of trade controls and restrictions, including a zero export quota for mahogany
set by Bolivia since 2011, following concerns over sustainability, regarding
overexploitation and reduction of commercial populations. The yellow-spotted river turtle is being
managed by local communities and its population increased from around 40,000 in
2005 to over 500,000 in 2014 (Sinovas et al., 2017). The vicuña’s huge
population has been managed sustainably in the wild and with enclosures by
local Andean communities. Peru has the largest population (approximately 80% of
the total) and been the principal exporter of fiber from live animals, exported
47,319 kg of fibre during 1995-2011 (Rosales, 2014). Eighty per cent of wool
reported by weight was exported by Peru, with the remainder from Bolivia during
2005-2014 (Sinovas et al, 2017). It is central to highlight that vicuña fibre
trade derives from live animals, and the populations are not harvested for this
activity; Andean communities only use the wool of live animals.
In this regard, we should
highlight also the historical recorded data on international trade and ask
questions if this management adequately applied principles of sustainable
management and use. Furthermore, has this management integrated resilience in
the framework of an ecosystem approach? On the other hand, has this management
contributed to the conservation these wildlife species and their habitats? And
have the local communities benefited from the wildlife management and reduced
their poverty index?
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