INVESTIGADORES
LOZADA Mariana
artículos
Título:
Fuelwood consumption patterns and resilience in two rural communities of the northwest Patagonian steppe, Argentina
Autor/es:
BETINA CARDOSO; ANA LADIO; MARIANA LOZADA
Revista:
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
Editorial:
ACADEMIC PRESS LTD-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Referencias:
Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2012
ISSN:
0140-1963
Resumen:
A comparative ethnobotanical
study was carried out in two rural communities in Northwest
Patagonia. The methodology involved semi structured interviews and
free listing, through which richness and use patterns of fuel species were
registered, as well as socioeconomic factors and alternative fuel sources such
as liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG) and animal dung. Firewood was found to be a
subsistence resource, complemented with the purchase of other firewood
resources and the use of alternative fuels. A total of 21 species were
registered, of which 18 were native species
and 3 exotic; 12 fuel species were used by both communities. The species with
highest use consensus were Berberis microphylla (michay),
Lycium sp. (montenegro)
and Senecio subulatus (romerillo) in the Laguna Blanca community, and Salix sp. (sauce)
and Senecio subulatus in Comallo.
Collection is mainly carried out on foot. Whereas the inhabitants of Laguna
Blanca cover large distances in order to collect native woods, in Comallo this
is made easier by the use of prunings from urban tree planting, obtained closer
to dwellings. This is an interesting result
since the recycling of biological products
to supplement firewood, together with forestation practices, could contribute
to the resilience processes of inhabitants of these arid, hostile environments.
We propose that the use of multiple fuel resources could be an indicator of
ecological-social resilience processes.