The Rattan Trade of Northern Myanmar: Species, Supplies, and Sustainability

Charles M. Peters, Andrew Henderson, U Myint Maung, U SawLwin, U Tin Maung Ohn, U Kyaw Lwin, and U Tun Shaung

The Rattan Trade of Northern Myanmar: Species, Supplies, and Sustainability. Although Myanmar exports millions of dollars of rattan cane each year, the last systematic treatmentof rattans in this country was done over 100 years ago, and virtually nothing has been written about the collection and trade of this important forest resource. Here we report the results from a study of rattans in the Hukaung Valley Tiger Reserve in northern Myanmar. A total of 15 species of rattan were encountered; seven species are new records for Myanmar and two species are new to science. Inventory transects revealed that the density of commercial rattans in local forests averages 40.5 canes 4 m long/hectare. Populations of all species appear to be actively regenerating. The current pattern of rattan exploitation, however, is largely uncontrolled and will eventually lead to resource depletion unless some form of management is implemented.

Key Words: Myanmar, Hukaung Valley, rattan, sustainable harvesting, non-timber forestproducts.

Economic Botany 61(1):3–13, 2007.