The Communities in Transition project has made significant progress in introducing agrogorestry systems. These systems have annual crops planted along with trees or other long-term crops which help curb erosion and/or increase soil fertility. Farmers that have trees planted will not destroy them through the traditional burning of the land. However, slash & burn agriculture is still practiced by a number of farmers as witnessed by the photographs below taken in June 1999 on the road between Playa Grande and Ingenieros.
This is not appropriate land for agricultural use due to its steep slope. The burning off of lands is illegal but not enforced. Farmers only change their cropping techniques when convinced that other methods will leave them with food to eat and a surplus to sell.
Although burned material does provide nutrients to the soil, it is much less than the incorporation of organic material in the soil without burning it.
In this picture you can see the type of forest cover that was burned off.
Go to Bridge Site and Mayaland - June 1999
Go to AMVI Gravel Extraction - Chixoy River - June 1999
Go to Ixcan Emergency Food Relief - Hurricane Mitch
Go to CIT Communities in Transition Introductory Page
Go to Jim & Michaele's Home Page
Last Updated June 26, 1999
All web pages and photographs Copyright James S. Schenck
