Cultivo de Tillandsia Ionantha Planch, como Alternativa de Aprovechamiento Sustentable en Recursos Forestales no Maderables

The vascular epiphytic flora greatly favors diversity in tropical forests, as it develops in unstable substrates, resists sudden changes in temperature and low availability of water and nutrients. Unlike parasitic plants, they do not obtain nutrients from their hosts, but mostly require them as support to access better light conditions. In the center of Veracruz there is a large production of arches and floral decorations, an activity that involves the illegal extraction of epiphytes. In addition to reducing and altering the habitat, such extraction, without appropriate management, puts the maintenance of their populations at risk. For this reason, this proposal is based on the sustainable use of the species as a non-timber forest resource, whose objective is to generate a comprehensive model of strategies through the cultivation of epiphytic bromeliads as an alternative for productive diversification. These types of projects have been a successful strategy in common towns and communities in Oaxaca, however, they only focus on resource conservation, without economic benefits. The study was carried out at the Actopan S.P.L. Forest Nursery. of R. L., Actopan municipality, Veracruz state, México (surface área 4.3 ha). The population density of T. ionantha was evaluated. Subsequently, the pertinent authorization was obtained for the collection and production of the specimens. The results obtained were analyzed using STATISTICA©, considering the most significant characters of the species. Currently, about 25,000 individuals are produced in the nursery, which receive maintenance and phytosanitary care for their future propagation in the second stage of the project.