Tree Conservation Information Service
| Cedrela odorata
Meliaceae cedro amargo, cedro rojo, Central American cedar, Spanish cedar, zigarrenkitschenholz Distribution Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico (Quintana Roo), Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Suriname, Venezuela Habitat The species occurs in humid or dry lowland forest, preferring well-drained soils. It colonises secondary forest, abandoned pastures and agricultural land. Population Status and Trends The species occurs in abundance, most notably in Central America (Americas Regional Workshop, 1996; Arce Benavides, 1998). However exploitation has continued on a large scale throughout the species range over the past 200 years and large or well-formed individuals are scarce, especially in Amazonia. In Bolivia, the species' rarity has resulted in trees only being cut opportunistically while mahogany, Amburana and Machaerium are being sought (Killeen, 1997). Natural regeneration is reported to be generally good but there are reports of trees being felled before they reach maturity (Americas Regional Workshop, 1996). The species is included in lists of threatened plants in Panama and Domincan Republic and by the FAO (Asociación Nacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, 1990; Jiménez, 1978; FAO, 1986) Role of species in the Ecosystem The species responds well to disturbance. Threats Overexploitation, genetic erosion, habitat loss. Utilisation C. odorata produces the most valuable timber within the genus. The wood is aromatic, weather-resistant and durable. It is used for ship or boat-building, joinery, cabinet-making and making cigar boxes. It is also sometimes maintained as a shade tree in coffee plantations (FAO, 1986). Trade Throughout the species range Spanish cedar has played a major role in the timber trade. Between 1986 and 1987 three species, one of which was C. odorata, accounted for 58% of the sawnwood produced in Belize (Harcourt & Sayer, 1996). It is one of the most exploited woods in northern Costa Rica (Harcourt & Sayer, 1996). It remains one of the most valuable trees in the Costa Rican market but is traded only in the domestic market (Arce Benavides, 1998). In 1994 Brazil exported 97,000m³ of Cedrela spp., selling at an average price of US$260.00/m³. Records from 1994 indicate that Honduras was exporting logs, sawnwood, plywood and veneer of C. odorata and Peru and Colombia were exporting sawnwood (ITTO, 1995). In 1995 Ecuador is reported to have exported 6000m³ of C. odorata sawnwood at an average price of US$584/m³, and Peru and Trinidad and Tobago exported sawnwood (ITTO, 1997). U.S.A. imported a total of 23,000m³ Cedrela spp. plywood at US$474/m³ in 1995 (ITTO, 1997).
Source: IBAMA, 1996 IUCN Conservation category VU A1cd+2cd according to the Americas Regional Workshop for the WCMC/SSC Conservation and sustainable management of trees project (WCMC, 1996). Conservation Measures
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