Student Participation:
This project is currently accepting students interested in learning about ethnobotany research relevant to conservation of biocultural diversity.

Summary:
Cinnamodendron corticosum (Canellaceae) is a culturally valued wild spice tree unique to Jamaica. This endemic species has been reported as restricted to only two parishes and is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Given its presumed limited geographic range, concerns about over-harvesting, and documented patterns of deforestation in Jamaica, a comprehensive reassessment of its conservation status is both timely and necessary. This project undertakes a mixed-methods evidence-based reassessment of Cinnamodendron corticosum through integrated herbarium research, spatial modeling, and community-engaged fieldwork.

Objective 1:
Update and consolidate the knowledge base on the species by synthesizing recent literature, unpublished in-country forest transect data, and herbarium specimen records not yet incorporated into the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

Objective 2:
Model the species’ distribution using specimen records and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to refine estimates of its geographic range and identify potential peripheral populations.

Objective 3:
Ground-truth distribution data through participatory transect surveys and population studies in Portland Parish—where recent collections have been documented—as well as exploratory visits to additional sites identified through spatial analysis.

Objective 4:
Document community perspectives on harvesting intensity, local use, and conservation priorities related to the species.

At the conclusion of the project, we will publish a formal recommendation regarding the species’ updated conservation status for dissemination to the community and other national and international stakeholders.