Author(s)

Hipólito Jesús Muñoz-Flores¹, J. Trinidad Sáenz-Reyes¹, Agustín Rueda-Sánchez¹, David Castillo-Quiroz^2*, Francisco Castillo-Reyes², Diana Yemilet Avila-Flores²

¹National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock Research (INIFAP)-Experimental Station Uruapan, Uruapan, México.
²National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock Research (INIFAP)-Experimental Station Saltillo, Saltillo, México.

Michoacán has a deforested area of 525,260 ha, representing 52,526 ha per year, mainly caused by anthropogenic disturbances such as agricultural burning and forest fires (50%), change of use of land for extensive livestock farming (28%), agriculture (17%) and illegal logging (5%). The establishment of forest plantations is an alternative for reducing the pressure on natural forests and creating options for sustainable development and diversification of production and conversion of land for agricultural and livestock fragmented for forestry purposes. The aim of this study was to determine the potential areas for commercial forest plantations of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb. in the State of Michoacán, México, through the use of Geographic information systems (GIS). Areas were identified using IDRISI 32, and ArcView software. Screening variables include annual temperature, annual precipitation, land use, soil type, elevation and slope. Products obtained were field verified. Two maps where potential areas for the establishment of commercial forest plantations of E. cyclocarpum shown were obtained. Potential areas for commercial forest plantation establishment are (0% - 15% slope) for commercial forest plantations mechanized was 57,227 ha and (15% - 30% slope) for manual plantations was 6273 ha. The total area in the state with potential for the establishment of the species in the study was 63,500 ha.

Potential Areas, Michoacán, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Commercial Forest Plantations, Geographic Information System

Muñoz-Flores, H. , Sáenz-Reyes, J. , Rueda-Sánchez, A. , Castillo-Quiroz, D. , Castillo-Reyes, F. and Avila-Flores, D. (2016) Areas with Potential for Commercial Timber Plantations of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb. in Michoacán, México. Open Journal of Forestry, 6, 476-485. doi: 10.4236/ojf.2016.65036.