Sustainable Management of Mauritia Flexuosa in Amazonian Ecosystems

Mauritia flexuosa, commonly known as the moriche or aguaje palm, dominates extensive swamp forests in Amazonian floodplains, where it underpins ecosystem functioning, local livelihoods and cultural practices. These palm swamps contribute to hydrological regulation and carbon sequestration, while their rich biodiversity supports myriad faunal species. Over the past decades, increasing commercial demand for aguaje fruit has led to unsustainable harvesting methods—particularly the felling of adult female palms—which has diminished fruit yields and disrupted both ecological regeneration and associated wildlife populations. In response, a suite of sustainable management strategies has emerged, incorporating traditional ecological knowledge, community-based rulemaking and adaptive multi-use planning. Such approaches promote selective harvesting techniques that preserve female palms, integrate non-timber forest product collection (including fibres and thatch) and maintain fisheries and hunting grounds. Co-management frameworks, often supported by governmental or non-governmental agencies, seek to formalise community regulations, secure land tenure and foster market chains that reward sustainably harvested produce. This integrated model not only sustains ecosystem services and biodiversity but also reinforces cultural identity and income security among riverine and indigenous populations. The global significance of these efforts lies in their potential to reconcile conservation and resource use, offering a template for managing similar floodplain palm systems worldwide.

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Sustainable Management of Mauritia Flexuosa in Amazonian Ecosystems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in sustainable management of mauritia flexuosa in amazonian ecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Aguajales: Floodplain palm swamps dominated by Mauritia flexuosa, characterised by high water tables and unique biodiversity.

Ethnoecology: Interdisciplinary study of how local cultural groups perceive, manage and conserve their natural environments.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK): Cumulative body of knowledge, practices and beliefs about ecosystem management handed down through generations.

Community of Practice (COP): Collaborative network linking local resource users and external experts to share knowledge and develop sustainable management solutions.

Multi-use forest management: Integrated planning approach that balances timber and non-timber resource extraction with subsistence, cultural and conservation objectives.

References

1. Ethnoecology of miriti (Mauritia flexuosa, L.f.) fruit extraction in the Brazilian Amazon: knowledge and practices of riverine peoples contribute to the biodiversity conservation. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2021).
2. Socio-Economic and Ecological Factors Influencing Rulemaking for Community-Based Forest Management: A Study on Aguaje (Mauritia Flexuosa) in the Peatlands of the Pastaza Marañon Foreland Basin, Peru. International Journal of the Commons (2025).
3. The socio-cultural importance of Mauritia flexuosa palm swamps (aguajales) and implications for multi-use management in two Maijuna communities of the Peruvian Amazon. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2013).