El Pilar Forest Garden Network

Forest Gardening

In 18 Forest Gardens we found that there are over 350 species of plants that the farmers themselves identify as nurturing.

The species include: 150 trees, 81 shrubs, 64 herbs, 37 lianas or vines, 15 palms, 8 grasses, 4 epiphytes, and 2 ferns.

These plants are nurtured for use as medicine, ornaments, food, spices, dyes, poisons, construction, household products, toys, beverages, rituals, fodder and more…And 53% of these species are native to the Maya forest. These forest gardeners are the ultimate conservationists and unsung heroes of the Maya forest!

What is a forest garden?
A forest garden is an unplowed, tree dominated plot that sustains biodiversity and animal habitat while producing plants for food, shelter, medicine and profit. It can be fertilized by household refuse (compost), organic material (dead weeds), ashes from kitchen fires, and manure, enriching the soil and productivity without the use of chemically manufactured fertilizer.

Alfonso Tzul, a modern Maya agriculturalist and retired agricultural extension officer, describes how forest gardens came to be:
"God created plants and animals and the world around us. Trees grew in the forest, seeds spread, birds sang, and animals flourished. All was already there. Man came along and preferred this plant, favored that seed, enjoyed those birds, and supported those animals, creating and using the forest as a garden to sustain those plants and animals. The job of the forest gardener is to manipulate the forest by adding, removing and nurturing plants, to make sure that certain species grow where they will be most economically viable."

Heriberto Cocom, a master Maya forest gardener describes forest gardening:
"Forest Gardening is a practice that was used by the ancient Maya of the past. And now we are introducing it to our Maya people today…to continue the forest gardens. For example, a forest garden means having….planting many species of plants; for instance mahogany, cedar and plants that produce fruit to eat, also that produce fruit for the animals like the ones with four feet, and also birds and medicinal trees and plants, and trees for construction."

There is no typical Forest Gardener. Some focus on medicinal plants, others on horticulture, and yet others on trees for construction or ornamentals for sale at the market. The possibilities are endless, but the essential idea remains: that the forest can be manipulated for economic gain without destroying it.

Dominant species of the Maya Forest
	In order of dominance
	Number of forest gardens containing each species (out of 18 gardens)

	Attalea cohune (corozo)	12
	Alseis yucatanensis (wild mamey)	5
	Bursera simarouba (gumbolinbo)	10
	Pouteria reticulata (zapote negro)	1
	Vitex gaumen (fidlewood)	4
	Cryosophila stauracantha (give-and-take)	7
	Sabal morrisiana (bay leaf palm)	14
	Swietenia macrophylla (mahogany)	2
	Spondias radlkoferi (hogplum)	8
	Simira salvadorensis (john crow redwood)	9
	Licania platypus (succotz)	7
	Tabebuia rosea (mayflower)	3
	Pouteria campechiana (zapotillo)	3
	Manilkara zapota (chicle)	11
	Lonchocarpus castilloi (manchich)	6
	Zuelania guidonia (tamay)	4
	Brosimum alicastrum (ramon)	14
	Piscidia piscipula (jabin)	8
	Aspidosperma cruentum (amlerio)	3
	Talisia oliviformis (kinep)	12

Forest Gardening

Dominant species of the Maya Forest