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"The forests have global importance because they provide ecosystem services in many scales. Deforestation, degradation and loss of biodiversity are processes that diminish quality of these services. In Mexico these processes have been especially dramatic and accelerated.Also forest in México are characterized by poverty and inhabited areas. Thus addressing the issue of forests is complex as social and ecological factors converge and their study often requires a focus on socio-ecological systems. In the Chamela-Cuixmala region where there have been socio-ecological studies in the nearby of the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve, the upper parts with different ecosystems to tropical dry forest have yet been little explored despite the importance they have. This study took as a reference for understanding the socio-ecological system three main areas: 1) the environmental history, 2) the social actors and collective action, and 3) productive activities and forest types. All this information was integrated and interpreted using the framework of the Commons Theory. The main objective in this study was to understand the environmental history and social organization in relation to the use and management of forests in an ejido of the Chamela-Cuixmala region: Pabelo. The methodological approach was qualitative, which seeks to understand the phenomenon of study from the perspective of the actors involved. The main methods were semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and botanical collections. Regarding the regional environmental history was found that uplands and mountainous areas have functioned as a refuge from the arrival of the Spaniards. The ejido Pabelo was a hacienda dedicated to raise livestock, this activity prevails at present, but forests always have played an important role for subsistence. The inequitable distribution of land caused problems between the ejido members, and then the common areas were distributed among some ejidatarios but only for the use of pasture for livestock. As for the social actors, government at the federal level was of great relevance to the site. Collective action reflects a lack of organization and unity among members. In addition to raising livestock, other activities concerning whit the forest are practiced, like forestry, payment for environmental services and agriculture in a lesser extent, these activities have different impacts on forests. As for the use of plant resources a total of 100 species were found, the forest type with the highest number of useful species was semi deciduous tropical forest. In turn, the type of forest most degraded is the oak forest. Much of the problems relating to forest management and collective action are associated with property rights over land, in addition to the pursuit of personal profit. However, in the ejido the forest management strategy combines many activities which helps to face socio-economic and environmental problems. According to the management of each forest type there may be appropriate strategies to help sustainability in relation to the local context. This study helps integrate information at a regional level understanding the socio-ecological dynamic of an ejido in the top of the Chamela-Cuixmala region that can be the basis for deepen in further studies." |
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