Scope of Community Forest Management in different Ecosystem Services.

Abstract

One of the great challenges in the study of forest systems is to understand the complexity and socio-ecological dynamics with which forests provide various ecosystem services. This contribution is not only a simultaneous cause and effect of other natural processes and ecological cycles of forest systems, but is also a consequence of social actions, which influence in parallel the provision of ES. This article shows the impacts that the change in community forest management (MFC) had on various ecosystem services in an ejido belonging to a portion of the Sierra de Álvarez in the middle zone of San Luis Potosí where uncontrolled deforestation was practiced. The study is based on the principles of the neo-institutional theory of common goods. The collection of information was developed in a stage of field work through semi-structured interviews, field trips and participant observation. The MFC actions not only stopped deforestation, but also promoted a process of forest awareness and education and impacted the economic benefits of the ejido. The MFC contributes to the provision of ecosystem services, but when complemented with other participatory, social and technological dynamics in the region, it undoubtedly promotes the increase in the potential of ES in the socio-political, economic and ecological dimensions.