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Adapting to a Changing Environment

FORO para el Desarrollo Sustentable AC

San Cristobal de Las Casas, México

An Overview Of Our Solution

Who is this solution impacting?
Ecosistema
Forests
Forests
Tipo de comunidad
Rural
Rural
Additional Information
  • Population Impacted:
  • Continent: North America
General Info

Dirección

Nicolos Ruiz 83
29230 San Cristobal de Las Casas,
México

Correo electrónico

jcamilo0227@hotmail.com
Problem

Población impactada

approximately 1500 inhabitants

Size

about 8, 400 hectares.

Ocupaciones principales

traditional ancient Mayan agriculture and forestry management living in the Lacandon Tropical Forest Biosphere Reservation at Chiapas, Mexico

Recursos locales de los que depende la comunidad y con qué propósito

The community depends directly on the land and its inhabitants are dedicated to the field, particularly the cultivation of corn, which represents a risk to biodiversity, since the monoculture destroys the ecosystem.

Amenazas locales a los recursos

The future path is the destruction of the forest as farmers to extend their growing regions and livestock production, contributing to deforestation and destruction of the forest and its biodiversity.

Riesgos climáticos

The community is shocked by the change they have seen in the reduced rainfall and increased heat.

Nivel de sensibilidad

With climate change the community is at risk because their way of life will change

Nivel de capacidad adaptativa

The community is not prepared for these changes and will have to move to find better options.
Solution

? Diversified or alternative livelihoods The diversification of coffee with vanilla spread represents an alternative source income and basic needs for indigenous farmers in the forest, allowing an economical alternative to not open more land for cultivation or ranching. The introduction of ecological stoves, composting toilets and technologies for water management provide higher quality of life because they improve community environmental health. In addition, the community is aware integrated management of the forest, and derives medicinal plants, defined communal areas for recreation, and has the potential for forest based small-scale ecotourism and the contribution of ecosystem services such as water and oxygen production. ? Improved food security Effective utilization of natural resources of the forest families implement their power, by increasing the funds obtained from the sale of a nature-friendly product. In addition, cultivation of vanilla allows fruit trees to be planted, improved food supplies for farmers ? Improved hazard risk management There are three kinds of improvements in the management of exposure to risk factors: a) the agroforestry diversification reduces vulnerability to droughts and torrential rains, which then preserve and conserve forest cover and soil and groundwater; b) stop the use of land for agricultural activities requiring cutting of the forest, reduces the vulnerability of these communities to their forced displacement for violating environmental laws in protected natural areas. c) Social conflicts over resources, when handled properly do not deteriorate resources such as water and firewood and do not create resource conflicts with neighboring communities and ejidos. ? Improved use of water resources or other natural ecosystem services Helping preserve the hydrologic network and the ecology of the rivers maintains the capacity of the forest to improve aquifers, produce wood, oxygen, and preserve the biodiversity and wildlife of the biosphere reserve Montes Azules

Results

Costos ecológicos

- Growth of the agricultural frontier - Loss of habitats - Loss of vanilla - To replace it due to the slow growth of this plant, only now are the first kilos of marketable vanilla being harvested, we are still far from reaching the stage of looking for ma

Beneficio ecológico

- Increase of biodiversity - Management of high and medium evergreen forest and natural resources

Indicadores económicos utilizados para medir el beneficio

- Forest Cover - Area vanilla production

Costo comunitario/social

- Conflict with social groups interested in agricultural systems - Little knowledge of forest management processes - The vines of vanilla orchids take time to grow the vanilla - Consolidation of the social group of producers

Beneficio comunitario/social

- Increase in social organization - Look for processes of long-term planning - Consolidation of strategies which support different visions within the community

Indicadores comunitarios/sociales utilizados para medir el beneficio

- Number of members in vanilla growers? group - Assembled meetings and agreements reached

Costo económico

- Cost to assemble meetings - Training for production, forming frameworks for the production and handling of vanilla - Training for social organization

Beneficio económico

- Generate additional revenue - Increase the purchasing power

Indicadores ecológicos utilizados para medir el beneficio

- Financial reporting system for community product

What were/are the challenges your community faced in implementing this solution?

Adverse natural phenomena, mainly heavy rain and strong winds batter the region each year: Processes that have been initiated in other communities for disaster risk reduction are considered before revisiting this project. Risks: Depression of products, poor coordination with the municipality and civil protection to drive these processes. The little organizational strength and fragility of the state market: - Increase in production areas and vanilla partners, - Building a regional process in four communities. Risks: Little interest in the four communities

Action

Peligro climático de preocupación

Sea surface temperature rise

¿Cómo reduce su solución la exposición y amortigua/protege el ecosistema afectado?

N/A

How has your solution increased the capacity of the ecosystem to adapt to potential climate changes?

Montes Azules Natural Protected Area : Environmental education and dissemination about climate change effects Ecosystem: High and medium evergreen Forest: The protection of crops and initiatives that generate processes of assisted regeneration and prohibit the use of agrochemicals is contemplated.

¿Cómo reduce su solución la exposición y amortigua/protege a las comunidades afectadas?

N/A

¿Cómo su solución reduce la sensibilidad de las comunidades afectadas?

Implemented a productive system that has the opportunity to sell and for sustainability with its environment, as well as the rescue of a cultivation system that has been in the Montes Azules since pre-Columbian cultures as well as in the vanilla we find in the area, which is more of a wild species, to proliferate both in the area because we deal with residual crops, in this sense if we are talking about a rescue

¿Cómo ha aumentado su solución la capacidad de las comunidades locales para adaptarse a posibles cambios climáticos?

Multiplying the production processes and environmental education to 4 communities, to help alternative ways of life, helps the conservation of the ANP Montes Azules. The ejido la corana Marques de Comillas, has been a community where they have worked vanilla cultivation, where they taught the courses necessary for the other communities that are in the process of developing the cultivation of vanilla

Scale

¿Se puede replicar esta solución en otros lugares?

This model is highly replicable since the first factors for success are solidarity, trust and understanding between communities and rediscovery of their natural resources. The work began with Tzeltal Maya coffee farmers in the ejido La Corona, living in the Lacandon Jungle within the protected area as a biosphere reserve called Montes Azules, from 2008 to date we are replicating this process with the communities of Cerro Chum, Loma Bonita, Aguaperla, Miguel Hidalgo and Benito Ju�rez, respecting their different ethnic and religious diversity of its community-based policy. In a long-term perspective, the most important innovation in restoring ancient pre-Columbian Maya crops like vanilla this species endemic to this region and so far unknown to the current Tzeltal Mayan peasants, second place strategies are contributing to the population?s local indigenous tropical forest guard in a perspective of environmental risk management, third term friendly technologies are promoting environmental health and sustainable agroforestry. If this strategy is consolidated and replicated, it will be bringing new conflict resolution mechanisms to indigenous peoples' land within the new context of climate change and globalization of financial market laws. The solution is innovative as it is comprehensive and not only conservation but a productive strategy, which helps prevent an endangered species is conserved, also brings an identity to the community environment to manage their environment properly, preventing disaster risk for the destruction of the forest. On the other hand, the conservation and respect for the forest prevents the displacement of villagers.

Overview
Solution
Scale
Rare
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