ECOLOGICAL IMPACT FROM THE USE OF FIREWOOD IN A HIGH MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY IN TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO

Abstract

High mountain forests are habitat for a broad diversity of plant species. In rural households, firewood biomass from forests is the main source of fuel, both for cooking and for heating during the cold season. The objective of the study was to determine the relationships of rural families with plant resources, through the use of firewood in open hearths. The variables studied were consumption, extraction, use and management of woody species, and the processes related to the impact on the tree structure in a high mountain community in Miquihuana, Tamaulipas, Mexico. A survey was applied to the inhabitants to understand the forest species used as biofuel, the amount of logs, the distance traveled to obtain them; and, through the use of satellite images, the normalized differentiation vegetation index (NDVI) was obtained. A loss of plant coverage of 7.7\% was found, between 2010 and 2020; the main species used are oak (Quercus mexicana) and pine (Pinus pseudostrobus), because of their characteristics of combustion and the flame duration, as well as the amount of biomass used by family per year, which is approximately 74.0 m3. The density of the species decreases mainly due to the extraction of firewood for domestic use, because it is an activity that is conducted day after day. This indicates that there is a negative impact in the forests and it is necessary to apply actions that help in their recovery.