Starting points for the restoration of desertified drylands

Puesteros ’ cultural values in the use of native flora

Bibliographic Data

ID19585232
AuthorsFernando M Farinaccio (National University of Comahue, corresponding author), Eliane Ceccon (0000-0003-3219-0235, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico), Daniel Roberto Pérez (0000-0001-7698-7700, National University of Comahue)
Year2021
Volume17
Issue1
Pages476-490
Publication date2021-12-31
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEcosystems and People (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2639-5908 • E-ISSN: 2639-5916
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/26395916.2021.1968035
OpenAlexW3198282564
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited44

In rural dryland areas, the socioeconomic diagnosis of the population and their traditional knowledge of the flora are key to restoration. In this study, we asked rural people (locally called “puesteros”) about their knowledge of the native flora, in a settlement of 160 inhabitants, located in drylands of Argentine. For this, semi-structured surveys and open interviews were carried out with 30 puesteros. The surveys collected information about the puesteros’ socio-economic characteristics, their knowledge and value about the use of species, and their interest in planting those species in their farms. Once the list of multipurpose species was obtained, we reviewed the scientific literature to know some of their favorable ecological attributes. The interviews were carried out to know the limitations and advantages associated with planting native species in the puesteros’ home gardens. Our results show that 33% of the people surveyed were illiterate, and their primary economic source of income was livestock. In the surveys, the puesteros mentioned 44 multipurpose species, which were classified by their uses. 97% of respondents expressed interest in planting on their farms and mentioned 21 potentially useful species. Of the 44 multipurpose species mentioned by the puesteros, we found that 22 had ecological attributes for restoration. In the interviews, the puesteros identified the factors that limited and favored plantations. They had already planted 44 species in their home gardens for different purposes. The implications of current local knowledge for future socio-ecological approaches to productive restoration in drylands are discussed

Agriculture · Agroforestry · Agronomy · Biology · Ethnobotany · Geography · Indigenous · Introduced species · Livestock · Medicinal plants · Native plant · Population · Socioeconomic status · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Sowing · Traditional knowledge · Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems · Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management · Plant and soil sciences · Ecology · Forestry

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