Carya palmeri

The degradation of natural systems caused by human activities is one of the main factors that increase land-cover change and biodiversity loss. Unfortunately, the cloud forests of Mexico, as elsewhere in the world, are under severe threat. In addition to forest fragmentation due to deforestation, cloud forests are expected to be among the ecosystems most affected by global climatic change. Additionally, cattle farming and agriculture expansion are responsible for the deforestation in some portions of the range. This kind of land management facilitates erosion and soil loss, and thus hinders the ability of the forest to regenerate. In addition, the habitat is suffering from logging (Foster 2001, Lawton et al. 2001, Wilken et al. 2011).

Carya palmeri occurs at least in four protected areas: "Sierra de Otontepec" (Veracruz), Biosphere Reserve "Sierra Gorda" (Querétaro), National Park "Cumbres de Monterrey" (Nuevo León), Biosphere Reserve "El Cielo" (Tamaulipas). This species was assessed as Near Threatened in the Red List of Mexican Cloud Forest Trees (González-Espinosa et al. 2011). Carya palmeri is known from two ex situ collections (BGCI 2020) an is probably grown in a wider range of botanic gardens. In situ conservation management would be beneficial with support for non-agricultural and non-livestock activities to avoid change of land use in the region with sustainable production and livelihood alternatives. In addition, monitoring of the habitat is recommended.