Inventory and economic valuation of forest species of high commercial value of CURLA

Abstract

In Honduras, there is a great diversity of forest species of high economic value which are desired in the local and international market. Within the premises of the Centro Universitario Regional del Litoral Atlantico - CURLA (216 ha), the number of individuals per species that enter the classification of traditional and potential according to their economic valuation in the market is unknown. This results in an irrational control of harvested trees, ignoring their respective volume, board foot, exact location, and monetary value. In this sense, the research objective is defined as the compilation and quantification of the monetary value of the data from the inventory of the forest species of high commercial value located in the CURLA, in the sectors of 1-8 of Phase I in the year 2018. The novelty of this work lies in the quantification and georeferencing of each individual by species, creating a table of attributes with their relevant growth data such as diameter at chest height (DBH), commercial height, volume, board foot, and economic value according to the current market. The methodology used was based on dasymetric analysis, using direct measurement tools, geographic information systems, and market trends. The results demonstrated the presence of 421 trees distributed in twelve species within the eight sectors, finding that the species with greater economic value are Tectona grandis (teak) and Swietenia macrophylla (mahogany).