Revista de la mañana. Entrevista con egresada Universidad Distrital Forestal, María Constanza. Manejo integral del fuego y prevención de incendios forestales

Abstract

Graduate María Constanza presents the progress of a research project on integrated fire management and forest fire prevention in Colombia, stemming from the work of the landscape ecology and ecosystem modeling group. This group, with over ten years of experience, has studied the ecological impacts of fire in various ecosystems across the country, integrating scientific research with fieldwork. The guest speaker explains that the project arose from the need to understand not only the ecological effects of fire, but also the practices of rural communities and institutional actors in regions such as Vichada and the Orinoquía. Through workshops with farmers, ranchers, environmental authorities, and emergency services, it was identified that fire has different uses depending on the ecological and social context, and that not all ecosystems respond to its presence in the same way. One of the main findings is that current policies in Colombia are focused on fire suppression, which is insufficient in the face of the effects of climate change and the increase in more intense fires. Therefore, the project proposes a shift towards integrated fire management, based on scientific evidence, community knowledge, and regulatory review. It also emphasizes the need to define specific fire regimes for each ecosystem, avoiding both the complete suppression of fire and its indiscriminate use. The associated bill proposes a gradual transition, the active participation of academia in decision-making, and collaboration with institutions such as National Natural Parks for more effective and sustainable land management.