Bioeconomic opportunities in restored tropical forests

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Botany
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Forest restoration is hindered by financial constraints, including land opportunity costs and delayed returns from timber and ecosystem services.
• Developing a socially equitable bioeconomy based on non-timber products from native species offers a viable solution to these financial challenges.
• The Brazilian Atlantic Forest presents a unique ecosystem for investigating the bioeconomic potential of native species in restoration efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the bioeconomic potential of native species within the reforested areas of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
• To identify native species with medicinal, cosmetic, and food applications and evaluate their patent landscape.
• To explore how native species can contribute to the biotechnology industry through restoration.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a forest inventory across 46 plots (41,400 m²) in regenerating forests, cataloging individuals and species.
• Performed a comprehensive literature review of 603 articles to identify species with bioeconomic potential.
• Analyzed patent data from 61 countries to determine the commercialization status of identified species.

Main Results:

• Identified 167 native species (59%) with significant bioeconomic potential, primarily for medicinal (58%), cosmetic (12%), and food (5%) applications.
• Leaves were the most frequently utilized plant part across the identified species.
• Despite a broad patent landscape (78 species in 61 countries), only 13% of studies progressed to final product development, with limited Brazilian participation.

Conclusions:

• Native species, particularly palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana, Euterpe edulis) and the conifer (Araucaria angustifolia), offer substantial bioeconomic value for forest restoration.
• Harnessing the bioeconomic potential of native species can create a socially fair bioeconomy, enhancing financial viability and resource supply for the biotech industry.
• Further research and development are needed to advance studies to final product stages and increase Brazilian involvement in commercializing native species resources.