AN ETHNOBOTANICAL ANALYSIS OF THE TREE SPECIES COMMON TO THE SUBTROPICAL MOIST FORESTS OF THE PETEN, GUATEMALA

The purpose of this study was to analyze the utilization of tree speci es within and around the borders of the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guat emala and to compare two sampling methodologies for the acquisition of such data. Residents in the communities of Caoba (border of reserve) and Uaxactun (within reserve) demonstrated significantly different uti lization of tree species. Differences were due to the unique ecologica l and socio-economic conditions in each of the towns. Residents of bot h communities relied most heavily on Swietenia macrophylla, Manilkara achras, Cedrela odorata, Pouteria mammosa and Caesalpinia spp. Residen ts of Caoba considered 39% of all useful tree species to be marketable compared with only 18% in Uaxactun. Overall, more than 80 tree specie s were identified as useful in each of the communities. Changes in for est composition along with dynamic economic conditions were found to b e altering the commercial utilization of tree species throughout the r egion. some suggestions are offered for community development projects .