A Review of the Population Status and Conservation Opportunities for Bigleaf Mahogany in South America

The Center for Applied Biodiversity Science (CABS) at Conservation International is assessing the conservation status of bigleaf mahogany (Sweitenia macrophylla) throughout its range in Central and South America. CABS will systematically survey foresters, biologists, and managers of protected areas to compile information on how land use is affecting the density of remaining mahogany populations of this economically important timber species in South America.

CABS will combine the information generated from this survey with an assessment carried out by the project Program for Central America/Protected Areas System through the Tropical Science Center in Costa Rica on Central American populations to publish a consensus statement on mahogany's conservation status, identify populations of high conservation value, and develop conservation priorities and strategies for safeguarding the species survival.

Spatial representation and analysis of the current and historic range of mahogany have been pivotal to the success of this project. The work includes updating and mapping the historic range of the species, mapping the Mahogany Conservation Units, analyzing changes in forest cover, determining the proportion of the historic range that remains forested, determining the percentage of the range within protected areas, and mapping the location and density of remaining mahogany populations.