Historical Evolution and Multidimensional Characterisation of the Butia Palm Landscape: A Comprehensive Conservation Approach

Abstract

The Butia odorata palm grove in southeast Uruguay forms a particular landscape of the Pampa biome, which has been inhabited and transformed since the early Holocene. The forms and meanings of this contemporary landscape are the result of the historical interaction between culture and nature. The conservation of its natural and cultural heritage has been compromised by anthropic activities, leading to conservation proposals from different disciplinary perspectives that are partial and do not consider the landscape’s integrity. In this article, we propose a comprehensive approach, integrating the ecological, cultural and socioeconomic aspects through a historical look at the domestication process of this landscape. This approach is based on a transdisciplinary narrative aimed at generating a multidimensional and diachronic characterisation of the palm grove landscape on which to base a participatory definition of the most appropriate instrument for conservation through sustainable use.

Evaluación de riesgo y vulnerabilidad de montículos indígenas en contextos de producción agropecuaria en la región de India Muerta, Uruguay

“…Por este motivo desde 1984 ha sido designada sitio Ramsar y Reserva de la Biosfera (UNESCO), además de por la importante diversidad de sus formaciones vegetales (Achkar et al, 2015) y especies animales, incluidas las migratorias y en peligro de extinción (Cosse et al, 2022). Uno de los paisajes más representativos es el palmar de Butia odorata que también se encuentran en riesgo debido a la producción agropecuaria (Rivas et al, 2023). En esta zona de praderas y humedales se destaca la presencia de comunidades uliginosas, paludosas e hidrófilas (Zizaniopsis bonariensis, Scirpus giganteus, Eichhornia crassipes, Pontederia cordata, Spartina densiflora), así como vegetación herbácea (Paspalum notatum, Setaria geniculata, Axonopus compressus, Baccharis sp., Eryngium sp.)…”

Landscape, agrobiodiversity, and local knowledge in the protected area “Quebrada de los Cuervos y Sierras del Yerbal,” Uruguay

“…Additionally, other species were recorded that could be classified as small fruits (berries), such as Blepharocalyx salicifolius, Allophylus edulis, Citharexylum montevidense, Chrysophyllum gonocarpum, Psidium salutare, Passiflora caerulea, Myrceugenia euosma, and Celtis ehrenbergiana. Native fruits, particularly berries, have great nutritional and medicinal value and have been used by indigenous and traditional populations since ancient times (Furlan et al, 2017;Schmeda-Hirschmann et al, 2019;Rivas et al, 2020Rivas et al, , 2023Chamorro and Ladio, 2021).…”

“…Many practical knowledge systems employed by local communities regulate species diversity, create habitat heterogeneity at the landscape scale, and adjust the intensity of use, thus increasing the diversity of available biological resources (Berkes et al, 2000;Assis et al, 2013;Reis et al, 2018;Araujo et al, 2021). The resource management practices of communities reflect a knowledge system based on cultural practices aligned with their objectives and the need for future conservation (Jackson et al, 2007), forming authentic "communities of practice" (Dabezies and Taks, 2021) that safeguard biocultural landscapes (Rivas et al, 2023).…”