The cultural context of biodiversity conservation - Oapen

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150 The cultural context of biodiversity conservation Apart from the cultivated and fallow land, another category was identified, which the farmers call potrero (*alamb'r, xnaj wakax). This pasture land is an area that has been cropped for a certain period and then converted into grazing land for cattle. On this ground, some larger trees usually remain, such as the palm manaco (Orbignya cohune) to provide shadow for the livestock. Some farmers just let the grass grow to serve as forage. Others - those with more economic resources - sow brizanta (Brachiaria sp.) as feed for the animals. If the pasture land is of no more use because the cattle have been sold or moved to another site for lack of abundant fodder, the vegetation is left to convert into potrero enguamilado, dominated by herbaceous vegetation. In general, this type of land use plays a subordinate role in San Benito and Roq-há. Although not common in these two communities, the raising of cattle is nevertheless widespread in the lower parts of Alta Verapaz. As opposed to the rare pastures and grasslands, a system of agroforestry has been widely established by the farmers in the sample communities. This type of land use demonstrates less obvious changes in land cover as a result of ongoing specialisation in the management of forest extraction. It combines the modification of the natural forest environment through the production of cardamom (*ninru) and the use of permanently forested land without additional cash crop production (*k'iche', nink'iche'). Agroforestry is a system that encompasses crop and tree species on the same parcel of forested land. The policulture of crops, palms and fruit trees grown by the farmers in a heterogeneous mixture is an efficient pattern adapted to the peculiarities of the forest environment and designed to meet the peasants' basic needs. All informants we worked with maintained parts of their parcels as forest for gathering, hunting and the collection of wood. The agroforestry system is dominated by large trees, providing shadow for the cardamom plants growing beneath the larger vegetation (Fig. 5.3). The characteristic vegetation that dominates the arboreal stratus includes palm trees such as the bayal (Desmoncus orthacanthos), which is used for the making of thatch and basketry. Fig. 5.3 Cardamom grown in the forest
Local expressions of indigenous knowledge Moreover, the vegetation serves as a major source of food, providing fruits, mushrooms, edible herbs and other useful items such as medicinal plants, incense, dyes, seeds and building materials including hardwood and leaves. Thus, the forest is by no means just unused land that is made swidden, it is itself managed to produce a combination of numerous crops for multiple purposes. In this way, any patch of seemingly ›wild‹ vegetation has been modified by the peasants and provides something of use. Within this integrated production system, the farmers create a complex landscape mosaic with agrarian fields, fallow lands, primary and secondary forest and cattle grazing areas. In general, the households tend to carry out a non-specialised production based on the principle of diversity of resources and practices. The following table illustrates the distribution of the different land use systems in the farmers' parcels. Table 5.1 Distribution of land use systems in farmers' parcels Land use / Community milpa cultivation guamil 1 st order guamil 2 nd order guamil 3 rd order pasture land forest with cardamom forest Roq-há Purib'al 6.1% 12.5 % 31.8 % 11.9 % 2.6% 25.1% 10% San Benito 5.5% 14.6% 27.9% 8.1% 8.2% 15.7% 20% As the table indicates, more than half of the average farmers' land has been left to regrow as secondary forest. Beyond the major importance of guamil for the rotational principle characterising swidden farming, land use distribution also illustrates the importance the farmers dedicate to the forested lands, whereas just a minor part of the respective parcel is under actual cultivation. The diversification of the products obtained from the local agro-ecosystems and especially the integration of different practices will be described in the following. A closer look will be taken at the agricultural cycle of milpa farming, which is by far the most important occupation of the peasant producers. The chapter then examines the rather intensive agroforestry production system that includes a large variety of timber and non-timber products used by the farmers as well as hunting and gathering activities in primary and secondary forests. 151
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Göttinger Beiträge zur Ethnologie
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Published in 2008 by Universitätsv
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Bibliographische Information der De
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CONTENTS Acknowledgements Prologue
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Contents 5.2 The context of meaning
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Acknowledgements Many other friends
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ABBREVIATIONS ADICI Asociación de
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2 The cultural context of biodivers
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10 The cultural context of biodiver
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3 THE DISCURSIVE CONTEXT - conceptu
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The discursive context paradigms ar
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The discursive context environmenta
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The discursive context of pluralist
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The discursive context mental chang
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The discursive context and the ›s
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The discursive context More critica
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The discursive context 3.1.3 Concep
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The discursive context ristic power
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The discursive context Given the hi
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The discursive context frame that g
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The discursive context agencies eng
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The discursive context In the end,
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The discursive context entific cred
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The discursive context in a protect
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The discursive context Wells and Br
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The discursive context accelerated
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The discursive context Beyond its s
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The discursive context tivity that
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The discursive context a religious
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The discursive context The sense of
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The discursive context to us as adu
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The discursive context In this way,
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The discursive context concurrence.
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The discursive context In discussin
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The discursive context In the same
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The discursive context efforts payi
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The discursive context 3.4.1 The co
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The discursive context In order to
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The discursive context Apart from t
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The discursive context and organisi
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The discursive context 3.4.3 The sy
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Page 125 and 126: 4 THE LOCAL CONTEXT - national poli
Page 127 and 128: The local context 4.1.1 Biological
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Page 137 and 138: The local context 4.2 The Maya-Q'eq
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Page 141 and 142: The local context 4.2.2 Historical
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Page 149 and 150: The local context 4.3.2 The co-mana
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Page 161 and 162: 5 LOCAL EXPRESSIONS OF INDIGENOUS K
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Local expressions of indigenous kno
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250 The cultural context of biodive
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252 The cultural context of biodive
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EPILOGUE At the end of my last stay
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REFERENCES
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References Atran, Scott et al. (200
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References Brush, Stephen B. & Dore
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References Dove, Michael (1996). Ce
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References Gari, Josep-Antoni (2000
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References Hajer, Maarten & Frank F
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References Kockelman, Paul (2003).
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References Messer, Ellen (2001). Th
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References Oviedo, Gonzalo/Luisa Ma
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References Redford, Kent/Katrina Br
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References — (2002a). Participant
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References UNEP-WCMC (2003). Tradit
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APPENDIX
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Appendix Map 4.3 Alta Verapaz and m
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Göttinger Studien zur Ethnologie h
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