DEFORESTACION INDISCRIMINADA

Una de las prácticas más recurrentes en los últimos años en las zonas aledañas al bosque Cachil es la "reforestación" a través de especies ajenas al hábitat local, tales como el eucalipto y el pino.

Desde las políticas de gobierno se alienta esta práctica sin tener en cuenta que si bien este tipo de plantaciones se desarrollan de manera formidable, lo cierto es que al mismo tiempo son especies que destruyen el medio debido a la gran cantidad de agua que consumen y a un proceso químico que deteriora el suelo y lo empobrece.

Se calcula que sólo en los dos últimos años se han plantado en la zona más de 100 000 eucaliptos y pinos. Se prevé que las consecuencias a corto plazo serás más que desalentadoras: desaparición de los pequeños puquiales y pantanos, daño permanente a la agricultura y ganadería y erosión del suelo.

Sin embargo, se sigue vendiendo al campesino la ilusión de algunos centavos a cambio de la venta de la madera que produce. Nunca se explica cuáles seran las desagradables consecuencias de una práctica por demás incoherente en una zona donde abundan los bosques naturales.

El colmo de la ignorancia (o talvez de la insanía de algunos funcionarios forestales) es que se están talando bosques naturales completos para ser reemplazados por plantaciones de eucaliptos. Y todo dirigido desde el PRONAMACHS, organismo estatal cuya función fundamental es el mantenimiento y conservación de cuencas hidrográficas.

Conocerán estos funcionarios el significado de mantenimiento y conservación? Nosotros sí, por eso sabemos que no tienen ni la menor idea de lo que hacen.

Project Update: 2-13-2008

Project Update by Ana:

Puentes has completed several visits to the Chapolan Region in the months leading up to the Sierra’s rainy season. Our visits will diminish now that the weather is no longer in our favor however we have completed several important steps.

In terms of the association, the legalization process has commenced. The president of the association has been named as Jose Muñoz Miranda. In addition we have formed a team of engineers in the Northern University of Trujillo and have sponsored their visit. The team consists of Botanist Pedro Lujan, Economist Gaston Marquez and Biologist Rodrigo Ramirez. During their visit we reviewed pasture and field space, collected samples of insects to determine pesticide and plague information and most importantly spoke with individual agricultures in the region.

Initial studies have shown some plagues in the fields, normal in cases of non-existent technical agriculture support. More importantly the professors we able to seize upon the wide variety of native fruit and medicinal plant species that are ripe for collection. These species were previously unexplored due to a lack of knowledge in the region. However careful exploration can lead to a higher economic standing for our beneficiaries.

As always hospitality was afforded by the Plasencia family. They found room in the home for five (the engineers plus Kike and Ana) and fed us well. The Plasencia family house was also home to an important lesson to Kike and the engineers: Rum has its place to stave off the cold…but in moderation. Besides Puentes has a reputation at stake and said reputation is not that of a bunch of drunks.

Ana wisely abstained from this lesson and was in bed at 9:30PM.

Puentes also sends its condolences to the Plasencia family for the loss of Lorenzo. We thank them for their continued attendance in these difficult times.

Pictured is project coordinator, Kike, along with our donkey, anonymous, finding shelter after three hours of walking in the winter rains. If Kike does not like my choice of picture, well, he ought to update the blog himsellf.

What we are trying to do and why

The Puentes-sponsored agricultural project Chapolan: Valley of the Cachil River, aims to improve the lives of the citizens of the valley and to preserve and protect The Cachil forest.
The Cachil forest is a one-of-a-kind environmental wonder in Peru. Cachil is a tropical forest in the middle of the dry Northern Andes Mountains between the cities of Contumaza and Cascas. It is home to a variety of plant species, some of which are endemic, and a now-greatly-reduced population of wild animals. Many of the plants are ancient and commonly believed not to exist, let alone thrive, the high altitudes at which they are found in Cachil. In addition locals in the area have an alphabetic knowledge of the various medicinal and alimentary possibilities of the plant life. Doubtless more study is required of the forest. Unfortunately even before initial studies can be undertaken the forest is already threatened by four elements:
1.) Indiscriminate Deforestation: Nearby villagers, our very beneficiaries in this project, are cutting the forest and selling the wood for the ovens and vineyards of Cascas. This backbreaking labor is poorly recompensed especially given the agricultural richness of the area provided training and slight improvements to the land.
2.) Uncontrolled Hunting: The native species, ranging from wild rabbit, deer, a variety of birds and fox, are all under threat of local extinction due to hunting. The hunters range from Contumaza and Cascas residents to local villagers. Hunters look for a series of benefits from this activity including sport, economic gain and to protect fields from invasive species.
3.) Pollution: Mostly brought on by uncontrolled access to forest. Up to fifty people enter the forest in one day and often leave behind garbage from their meals, tire tracks, and other litter.
4.) Indiscriminate Reforestation: Just as deforestation is a threat so is reforestation when carried out in an irresponsible manner. Recent national and international policy throughout the Peru (and much of the third world) has promoted the planting of large eucalyptus forests. While in it’s native Australia and a few other regions of the world eucalyptus is a beneficial tree in the majority of areas its presence, particularly in mono-species factory forests, is highly damaging. Eucalyptus requires much water to grow and over time kills surrounding farms, fields, and natural resources. The recent World Bank – PRONOMACH initiative of Eucalyptus cultivation in the Chapolan region is already resulting less agricultural yields and local dry forest extinction. If the planned extension of the project occurs the result will be devastating not only to Cachil but also to the Cascas and surrounding areas.

The villagers that live around the forest currently live off of logging activity and agriculture. The primary product is potato sold in local markets in Cascas. However the market is saturated and the economic returns small. Other products are grown for trade and home use. Fortunately the region is ripe for a number of crops whose exploitation has not been explored due to a lack of technical study. Puentes has sponsored the technical study of the land and designed a project dedicated to improve the legal, economic, and social standing of the residents. From this point they can act not as passive actors in their region but as a dynamic part in the greater economic and ecologic factors that affect them.
Currently Puentes is undertaking the following steps:
1.) Legalization of villagers as an agricultural collective. This step gives residents bargaining rights and allows them greater market access.
2.) Training on threats and opportunities to their farmland with focus of pest control and quality improvement.
3.) Technical study of the land, particularly possibilities of llacon (yacon) production. Llacon is a product with high returns in the coastal regions due to its anti-diabetic properties. The area is able to support higher levels of llacon productions and minor industrialization.
4.) Promote respect for the environment, the water supply and the forest via our contact with beneficiaries.
5.) Promote education on a variety of topics including, but not limited to, health, economic cooperation, macro-points of view, and respect of property.