Ethnobotany--Ecuador

The author examines the management and cultivation of two plants in the Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve, northwestern Ecuador. The plants in this study, a hemiepiphyte, Heteropsis ecuadorensis, (Araceae), commonly called piqigua and a plam, Astrocaryum standleyamon (Arecaceae), commonly called mocora, provide weaving fiber to make baskets, mats, and smaller woven articles. Although most people living in the area do not consciously manage this vegetation, evidence shows that locals are engaging in activities that promote the growth of the two plants, thus beginning the domestication process.

In looking at alternative forest use, it is imperative that the sustainability of these alternatives is addressed. This question is particularly pressing in The Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve in northwestern Ecuador. The two plant resources on which this study focuses, a palm and a hemi-epiphyte (a vine-like plant that germinates in the ground, grows up a tree, and then sends down aerial roots), can be harvested in such a way that the plant continues to grow after harvested parts have been removed. Thus, these two plants are potentially sustainable resources. The idea that non-indigenous groups are more detrimental to the forest than are indigenous people is addressed. This qualitative study falls into the body of research in which various authors have questioned the concept that indigenous people are inherently conservationist in nature.

Colonists and indigenous groups living in and around Ecuador’s Mache-Chindul Reserve cultivate various subsistence food plants. The data reveal various differences between the two groups in regards to gendered agricultural spaces. Colonists maintain distinct planting areas, while the Chachi do so less. While each group plants some of the same crops, their basic staples differ: rice for the colonists and plantains for the Chachi. The gendered spaces are also distinct. In colonist households, women take primary care of plants closest to the home, while men’s domain is furthest from the home. Among the Chachi, the reverse pattern is the norm. This spatial organization is looked at in the context of previous theories regarding gender and agricultural. These distinctions are important to be considered in the context of better understanding gendered space among rural groups, and also for developing and implementing effective land use programs in and around protected areas.