Learning about Trees in a Quechua-Speaking Andean Community in Bolivia Jeffery Bentley1 Jorge Valencia2 Citation: Bentley, Jeffery W. & Jorge Valencia 2003 “Learning about Trees in a Quechua-Speaking Andean Community in Bolivia,” pp. 69-134. In Paul Van Mele (ed.) Way Out of the Woods: Learning How to Manage Trees and Forests. Newbury, UK: CPL Press. 143 pp. 1 Casilla 2695, Cochabamba, Bolivia (
[email protected]) 2 BASFOR, Escuela Superior Técnica Forestal, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Casilla 5453, Cochabamba (
[email protected]) Acknowledgements This study has been commissioned by the FAO Forests, Trees and People Programme, Community Forestry/FONP, Rome, Italy. The Swiss Development Co-operation (SDC) contributed to the publication of this study through the Technical Support Group to the Global IPM Facility run by CABI Bioscience. 1.1 Background 1.1.1 Country and Area Bolivia, Department of Cochabamba, Province of Tapacarí, Community of Apharumiri Altitude: 2,660 meters above sea level (on the river) to 3,484 meters (Patiño 1987) Rainfall: 660 mm; 570 mm falls during a 5 month rainy season (Deheza et al. 1986) Mean annual temperature: 11º C (Deheza et al. 1986) 1.1.2 Profile of Forest Users Wealth and land tenure Most families own 3-4 small adobe houses, with electricity but not running water. Fixed capital is limited to 20-30 goats and sheep, a pair of oxen, a horse or donkey, some chickens, guinea pigs and home-made wooden tools. The diet includes potatoes, grains, vegetables, some eggs and little meat or cheese. Wealth differences within the community are slight; all households benefited from the 1970s land reform.