Janzen - Guaiac wood - IFEAT

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Main economic activities. Paraguay’s trade is heavily dependent on its big neighbours (Argentina and Brazil). The main income is from commodity agriculture and cattle meat exports. It is the world’s 4th largest soybean exporter and 6th largest soybean producer behind USA, Brazil, Argentina, China and India, in that order. To achieve this, lots of forest land had to be transformed into ploughed fields. Even so about 40% of the population is below the poverty line. Main essential oils of Paraguay – relative importance of guaiac. The main essential oils produced in Paraguay are: petitgrain, guaiac, arvensis mint and cabreuva. There are also much smaller crops of palma rosa, citriodora, vetiver and citronella oils. Guaiac oil corresponds to about 30% of Paraguay’s total essential oil sales (in tons). GUAIAC WOOD a) Guaiac wood - brief introduction The Guaiac tree Bulnesia Sarmientoi is locally known in Spanish as palo santo which means holy tree, it grows only but very abundantly throughout the sparsely populated Gran Chaco. The tree is sometimes crocked; its wood has greenish stripes and a fragrant resin. It reaches a height of 10 metres and the trunk can have a diameter of 80 cm. The name “holy tree” says it all about what Paraguayans feel for this species, which has a very unique and distinctive place in Paraguay’s general culture. It is highly valued for the many healing powers attributed to infusions brewed from of its bark, crust or leaves. It is used by traditional healers for many generations to heal gastric pain, syphilis, leprosy, gout, rheumatism, arthritis, lumbago and skin diseases. Indigenous groups also use the wood for craftwork. The tree is one 318
of the hardest and heaviest of woods (1100-1280 kg/m3); it is very strong and decay resistant, even underground, because of its resin content. The wood is used to make durable poles, beams, posts and pillars for construction in the Chaco region (especially in Mennonite communities). In the past two decades the wood has been exported to manufacture special pipe bushings which are used for ships of shallow, medium and deep draught. Demand for guaiac flooring wood has been strong in the Asian and North American markets. b) Local legislative and regulatory environment regarding guaiac wood. There are two main administrative institutions and one judicial office involved in guaiac wood regulation. • SEAM (General Environmental Regulatory Agency) In charge of analyzing and granting general investment permits such as: logging, forest clear cut, large scale farming, cattle rising, industrial facility compliance, national infrastructure construction, mining, drilling and any important investment project that could have any significant impact on the environment. The relationship is strictly between the government and private land owners. Permits must be renewed every two years. SEAM is also Paraguay’s CITES permit issuing Management Authority. • INFONA (National Forest Institute) In charge of technically monitoring all forest harvesting, sawmill functioning and industrialized timber transport affairs. Its specific purpose is to protect forest resources from being over exploited. It regulates internal timber commerce and export issues. It is also the instigator of administrative claims. If a contentious event is considered a crime, the case is referred to the Fiscalia for prosecution. • FISCALIA AMBIENTAL (Environment Attorney General) In charge of state criminal prosecution against environmental crimes and felonies. The minimum jail time for guilty convicted environmental crime is 7 years. It is a feared institution due to its provisional detention powers. It is better to have paperwork in order. c) Guaiac timber harvest and guaiac oil production process and yields. • Guaiac timber harvest. Landowners can initiate harvesting only after having obtained clearance of the SEAM and INFONA. Usually owners hire contractors to do the harvesting and then sell the logs to the local saw mills. Alternatively, they sell the complete logging rights to other timber companies. Once the trees are cut with chain saws, tractors pull the logs out on tiny roads into larger clear fields. Afterwards the logs are loaded onto trucks which transport them to sawmills or to distillation units. 319
Page 1: Paper presented at the IFEAT Intern
Page 5 and 6: e) Guaiac oil uses, major markets,
Page 7 and 8: March 19th, 2010: At the 15th meeti

Janzen - Guaiac wood - IFEAT

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