Ethnobotany of Woody Species in Second‐Growth, Old‐Growth, and Selectively Logged Forests of Northeastern Costa Rica

Abstract: We assessed quantitatively the woody species used for timber, medicine, and other products in 10 tropical wet‐forest stands with different land‐use histories in the Atlantic lowlands of northeastern Costa Rica. Species were classified into 20 use categories based on regional ethnobotanical studies. Three size classes of woody vegetation were sampled in nested, contiguous plots along transects: trees (≥5 cm diameter at breast height dbh), saplings (>1 m high, 20 cm high, <1 m high). Our study included five second‐growth stands, three old‐growth stands, and two selectively logged stands. Of the 459 woody species surveyed, 70% of the species and 86% of the total number of individuals had at least one use. Overall, species richness was highest for medicinal species (167 species). Absolute and relative abundance of medicinal and timber trees was significantly higher in second‐growth stands than in old‐growth and selectively logged stands. For 8 of the 15 use categories examined statistically, stem density showed no significant differences across forest types for any stem size class. Young, tropical, second‐growth forests and selectively logged forests have high utilitarian as well as conservation value and will likely become important sources of forest products. The success of secondary forest regeneration, however, depends critically upon conservation of genetically diverse source populations in forest fragments and protected old‐growth stands.