Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The rattan trade of Northern Myanmar: Species, supplies, and sustainability

  • Published:
Economic Botany Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Although Myanmar exports millions of dollars of rattan cane each year, the last systematic treatment of 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 ≽4m 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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • Basu, S. 1992. Rattans (canes) in India. A monographic revision. Rattan Information Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, T., K. Sengdala, O. Viengham, and B. Thammavong. 2001. A field guide to the rattans of Lao PDR. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, K. Sengdala, B. Thammavong, O. Viengham, and J. Dransfield. 2002. A synopsis of the rattans (Arecaceae: Calamoideae) of Laos and neighboring parts of Indochina. Kew Bulletin 57:1–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FAO. 1997. State of the world’s forests, 1997. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forestry Department. 1987. Bamboo and canes in Burma. Superintendent of Government Printing, Rangoon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forestry Department. 2005. Annual report. State Peace and Development Council, Yangon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodel, D. 1998. The palms and cycads of Thailand. Allen Press, Lawrence, Kansas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hundley, H. G., and Chit Ko Ko. 1987. List of trees, shrubs, herbs, and principal climbers, etc. recorded from Burma. Fourth Revised Edition. Superintendent of Government Printing and Stationary, Ragoon.

    Google Scholar 

  • INBAR. 2004. Online database on bamboo and rattan trade (http://www.inbar.int/trade/main.asp). International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing, PR. China.

    Google Scholar 

  • ITTO. 1997. Bamboo and rattan: Resources for the 21st century? Tropical Forest Update, Vol. 7, No. 4. International Tropical Timber Organization.

  • Kress, J. R., R. A. DeFilipps, E. Farr, and Daw Yin Yin Kyi. 2003. A checklist of the trees, shrubs, herbs, and climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium 45:1–590.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurz, S. 1874. Enumeration of Burmese palms. Journal of the Asiatic Society, Bengal 43:191–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lace, J. H. 1912. List of trees, shrubs, and principal climbers, etc. Recorded from Burma. Superintendent of Government Printing, Rangoon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manokaran, N. 1990. The state of the bamboo and rattan trade. Rattan Information Centre Occasional Paper No. 7, Rattan Information Centre, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, Kepong.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pei, S. J., S. Y. Chen, and S. Q. Tong. 1991. Palmae. Flora Repubblicae Popularis Sinicae 13(1). Science Press, Peking (in Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, C. M. 1996. The ecology and management of non-timber forest resources. World Bank Technical Report 322, 157 pp.

  • Renuka, C. 1992. Rattans of the western Ghats: A taxonomic manual. Kerala Forest Research Institute, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1995. A manual of the rattans of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Kerala Forest Research Institute, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. 1999. Burma: Insurgency and the politics of ethnicity. 2nd edition. Zed Books, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Win Myint. 2004. Rattan and rattan industry in Myanmar. Pages 117–142 in Regional Conference on Sustainable Development of Rattan in Asia.

  • Yin, G., and B. Zeng. 1997. Rattan species in China. Pages 49–54 in A. N. Rao and V. R. Rao, eds. Rattan—Taxonomy, ecology, silviculture, conservation, genetic improvement and biotechnology. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Serdang, Malaysia.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Economic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, 10458, Bronx, NY

    Charles M. Peters (Kate E. Tode Curator of Botany)

  2. Institute of Systematic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, 10458, Bronx, NY

    Andrew Henderson (Curator)

  3. Myanmar Forest Department, Hukaung Tiger Reserve, Tanai, Kachin State, Myanmar

    U Myint Maung (Park Warden)

  4. Myanmar Horticulturist Association, Yangon, Myanmar

    U Saw Lwin

  5. Department of Botany, University of Yangon, Yangon, Myanmar

    U Tin Maung Ohn (Associate Professor)

  6. Sagaing Division, Kalay University, Kalay, Myanmar

    U Kyaw Lwin (Assistant Lecturer)

  7. Myanmar Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Yangon, Myanmar

    U Tun Shaung (Media Assistant)

Authors
  1. Charles M. Peters
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrew Henderson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. U Myint Maung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. U Saw Lwin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. U Tin Maung Ohn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. U Kyaw Lwin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. U Tun Shaung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Charles M. Peters.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Peters, C.M., Henderson, A., Maung, U.M. et al. The rattan trade of Northern Myanmar: Species, supplies, and sustainability. Econ Bot 61, 3–13 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1663/0013-0001(2007)61[3:TRTONM]2.0.CO;2

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1663/0013-0001(2007)61[3:TRTONM]2.0.CO;2

Key Words

Search

Navigation