ORGANIZATION EXPERIENCE FOR A Pinus oaxacana Mirov REFORESTATION IN DEGRADED SOILS OF THE OAXACAN MIXTECA

Abstract

The community of La Union Reforma Soyaltepec town, located in the Highlands of the Oaxacan Mixteca, has organized a social reforestation project on degraded lands which have been left abandoned to be used for agriculture, during the last 10 years. The aims of the actual research study were to describe and help to explain the genesis and development of the local organizational process to carry out reforestation activities and thus, improve common welfare, by finding abandoned lands and give them back to the community. This action is conceptualized as land re-appropriation. A mixed quali-quantitative approach was used; 10 intra-community organizations were described by the first option, as coadjutant for reforestation and linking activities with public, educative and governmental organizations, and other communities. The quantitative analysis favored an estimation of the productivity of Pinus oaxacana plantations. Results show that there is a communitarian interest to continue with the reforestation project and environmental improvement from a reforestation community. The land cession availability with reforestation purposes has promoted the organization strengthening and the search for arrangements that stimulate the donation of 40.7 ha, granted by 12 people. The planted area with Pinus oaxacana in three sites covered 64%, where white and yellow volcanic soil (“tepetate”) prevailed.