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Trade in Environmentally-Preferable Goods and Services
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Chamaedorea palm plants are used in many facets of life, including religious ceremonies, as party decorations, and in food and household products. Palm fronds, plants and seeds, which are harvested in areas of Mexico and Guatemala, are exported to North American distributors for use as ornamental indoor plants and decoration in floral arrangements.
Harvesting palm products is an important source of supplemental income for many individuals and communities. Unfortunately, over harvesting palm can threaten the livelihood of these communities as well as the shaded forests where the palm plant thrives. Uncontrolled exploitation of these forest products will lead to the rapid depletion of their rich biodiversity, including the many bird species that migrate to these regions during the winter. On the other hand, decreased harvesting caused by reduced market demand could have the same detrimental effect because forests that no longer provide a source of palm income are at risk of destructive conversion to large agricultural fields for other crops or grazing.
Protecting these forests and local jobs requires a delicate balance between retaining a market for palm and encouraging sustainable harvesting practices. Markets for chamaedorea palm must remain steady to prevent the forests from being destroyed for other uses. At the same time, those markets must be supplied with sustainably harvested palm to protect the unique and important biodiversity of the region and maintain the local communities' standard of living.
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 There are more than 130 species of palm that grow only in the Americas, and the majority—50 species—are Chamaedorea palms. Of these, 14 species are native to Mexico.
Each palm plant produces two to five harvestable leaves over a two to four month period.
Approximately 308 million palm fronds were consumed in the United States in 1998.
A congregation of 1,100 to 1,500 members will order approximately 700 palm fronds for Palm Sunday services.
Palm purchases for Palm Sunday may be worth up to US$4.5 million per year. |
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To preserve the health of local communities and the environment, promoting and protecting sustainable palm harvesting methods is imperative. Environmental certification of floral products, however, is not yet commonplace in North America. This makes it difficult to determine if the palm you buy is sustainable. Consumers and retailers are therefore encouraged to inquire about the source of the palm they purchase to ensure that it is sustainably harvested. You might ask if the palm came from a small, forested farm or from a large plantation. You can also encourage your church leaders to purchase sustainable palm. Retailers and distributors might not know the answers to these questions immediately, but persistent inquiries will persuade them to research the products they sell. At the very least, vendors will learn that consumers care about the sustainability of their palm. |
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 (To be released) The Potential Market, and Market and Certification Mechanisms for Palms of the Genus Chamaedorea
Note: This listing does not constitute CEC endorsement or responsibility
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Document – Eco-Palm in North America