Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Moss Under Threat from Christmas

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CARACAS, Dec 15 2007 (IPS) - Bags of moss sell for a dollar per half-kilo on the sidewalks of downtown Caracas and in other Venezuelan cities, often with the officials looking the other way. It is against the law, but the moss is used in Nativity scenes and other Christmas holiday decorations. Although it is part of tradition, “extracting moss advances deforestation and soil erosion, as well as reducing the moisture in the forests and the ability of the plants to reproduce,” biologist Argelia Silva, of the Central University of Venezuela, told Tierramérica.

Moss, she pointed out, is not cultivated, and takes up to 20 years to regenerate. The Environment Ministry is launching a campaign to convince consumers to recycle branches and leaves or to use wood shavings or other materials in their Christmas decorations.