Identifying optimal seed sources is critical for the propagation and restoration of Juglans neotropica Diels in the northern Ecuadorian Andes, where populations are declining due to habitat loss and overexploitation. This study evaluated the seed quality and germination performance of Juglans neotropica from three ecologically distinct provenances: a natural regeneration site (Cuyuja), a pure plantation (Natabuela), and an agroforestry system (Pimampiro). Five phenotypically superior trees were selected from each site, and germination was assessed under controlled nursery conditions over a 150-day period using a completely randomized design. Initial viability tests confirmed the physiological integrity of the seeds across all provenances. Germination onset ranged from day 55 to day 73, with significant differences in germination percentage, speed, and uniformity. The agroforestry provenance showed the highest germination rate (69%) and superior performance in all physiological indices, while natural regeneration had the lowest (15%). Post-trial viability assessments indicated that a substantial proportion of non-germinated seeds from Cuyuja remained dormant or deteriorated. These findings underscore the role of agroforestry systems in enhancing seed physiological quality and support their prioritization for large-scale propagation and ecological restoration initiatives involving Juglans neotropica.

The Andean walnut (Juglans neotropica Diels), locally known as tocte, is a keystone tree species of major socio-ecological importance in South American mountain ecosystems, facing severe anthropogenic pressure associated with genetic erosion, habitat fragmentation, and unregulated selective logging. This article presents a case study applying a qualitative phenomenological approach to examine the power relations and institutional failures shaping the sustainable management of its value chain in Imbabura Province, Ecuador. Drawing on 21 in-depth semi-structured interviews with key actors (including woodcarvers, sawyers, traders, and environmental authorities) conducted between March and September 2025 until theoretical saturation was achieved, and supported by thematic analysis in ATLAS.ti, we identified five thematic categories revealing the tension between cultural valuation and market pressure. The findings confirm the existence of a value paradox, whereby high timber demand paradoxically accelerates resource depletion rather than incentivizing conservation, as premature harvesting of young trees undermines the viability of non-timber forest products such as nuts and accelerates the loss of local genetic resources. We conclude that the long-term conservation of the species requires a transition toward polycentric stewardship, community forestry enterprises, and integrated landscape management in which the standing tree is formally recognized as carrying greater ecological and economic value than harvested timber.

The Andean walnut (Juglans neotropica Diels, Juglandaceae) is an endangered, culturally keystone, and ecologically vital native tree inhabiting tropical montane cloud forests across the northern Andes. Despite intense anthropogenic fragmentation and escalating climate change risks, empirical nationwide baselines evaluating its multi-variable niche breadth and edaphic requirements across complex Andean topography remain absent. In this study, we compiled an empirical geodatabase of N = 250 verified field presence points across 11 provinces, subjected to a 100 m Euclidean spatial thinning protocol that yielded N = 154 spatially independent presence records (base NOGAL_EC_V06). We coupled these locations with high-resolution digital elevation models (Copernicus DEM GLO-30, 30 m), macroclimatic and solar radiation layers (WorldClim v2.1 and CHELSA, ~1 km), and standardized pedological profiles (SoilGrids 2.0, 5–15 cm depth) across five morpho-topographic analysis units: Western Slope, Inter-Andean Valleys (< 2,000 m a.s.l.), Inter-Andean Slopes (2,000–2,800 m a.s.l.), High Andean Sectors (> 2,800 m a.s.l.), and Eastern Slope. Our findings demonstrate an expansive, continuous elevational gradient spanning 2,168 vertical meters (904.7 to 3,073.2 m a.s.l. DEM / 3,091 m a.s.l. in situ GPS), disproving conventional dogmas that confine the species to a narrow belt between 2,000 and 2,600 m a.s.l. The demographic core is concentrated on the Inter-Andean Slopes (46.75% of thinned records; mean elevation: 2,420.6 ± 212.9 m a.s.l.; precipitation: 756.06 ± 106.72 mm/yr), while extensive populations occur along the hyper-humid Amazonian Eastern Slope (29.22%; 1,239.66 ± 339.55 mm/yr) and Pacific Western Slope (16.23%; 1,248.15 ± 467.30 mm/yr). Peripheral populations persist in arid valley bottoms (3.90%; 1,636.5 ± 159.3 m a.s.l.; BIO01: 18.80 ± 1.36 °C) and high-altitude sectors (3.90%; 2,928.7 ± 88.3 m a.s.l.; coldest month mean temperature BIO06: 5.70 ± 0.32 °C). Edaphic profiles indicate dominant loam to sandy-loam textures (mean sand: 397.27 ± 34.22 g/kg), with circumneutral pH in inter-Andean basins (6.35–6.43) shifting to acidic, organic carbon-rich substrates in highland and outer-flank environments (pH: 5.67–5.79; SOC: 61.15–67.02 g/kg; CEC: 28.35–32.20 cmol(+)/kg), alongside moderate coarse fragment tolerance (CFVO: 9.74–14.22%). Crucially, over 70% of surviving trees persist within traditional agroforestry systems, field boundaries, and homegardens rather than continuous mature forest reserves. These findings provide an objective foundation for germplasm transfer zoning, in situ and ex situ genetic conservation, and native agroforestry landscape restoration across the equatorial Andes.

The Andean walnut (Juglans neotropica Diels), locally known as tocte, is a keystone tree species of major socio-ecological importance in South American mountain ecosystems; it faces severe anthropogenic pressure associated with genetic erosion, habitat fragmentation, and unregulated selective logging. This article applies a qualitative phenomenological approach to examine the power relations and institutional failures shaping the sustainable practice of its value chain in Imbabura Province, Ecuador. Drawing on 21 in-depth semi-structured conversations with key actors, including woodcarvers, sawyers, traders, authorities, and on thematic analysis supported by ATLAS.ti, we identified five thematic categories that reveal the tension between cultural valuation and market pressure. The findings confirm the existence of a value paradox: high demand for walnut timber in the artisanal center of San Antonio de Ib-arra encourages premature harvesting of young trees, undermining the viability of non-timber forest products such as nuts, and accelerating the loss of local genetic re-sources. Interviewees consistently described bureaucratic barriers, informal commercialization, and weak collective organization as central obstacles to long-term viability; we conclude that the long-term conservation of the species requires a transition toward polycentric stewardship, community forestry enterprises, and integrated landscape management. These strategies should combine local knowledge with modern silvicultural practices, strengthen traceability and promote productive landscapes in which the standing tree is valued as much as the harvested timber.