Recuperación etnobotánica del uso tradicional no maderable del bosque secundario en el municipio de Nocaima, Cundinamarca

Abstract

Considering that the traditional non-timber use of the secondary forest –important for the rural welfare and sustainable management of forest resources– has been diminishing. Strategic points were identified considering the presence of forest and local knowledgeable townsfolk, where semi-structured interviews, dialogues and guided tours were developed. Information was captured through oral recordings, photographs, and botanical samples identified in the UDBC forest herbarium. 161 Species belonging to 68 families were found, 126 of these native and 4 endemic. Rates were calculated for Cultural Importance, Level of Significant Use, Consensus Factor and Fidelity Levels for which 15 native species were prioritized. The following 10 categories of use were established: Medical (57,8%), Nutritional (23,6%), Cultural (12,4%), Magical-Religious (8,7%) Cosmetic (8,1%), Artisanal (6,2%), Fodder (3,1%) Dyes (4,3%) and Protective (4,3%). New usage reports were found within these categories. On the other hand, 65,2% of the interviewed population considered that the knowledge of use will be gradually lost over time, yet, 86,9% stated to transmit this knowledge to other people and 89,1% uses them with their family. It was concluded that the Medical and Nutritional categories stand out within the traditional non-timber user of the secondary forest, and their importance of said categories was evidenced in households. Having discovered that the population recognizes that the knowledge of use may be lost in time, the value of the ethnobotany studies for its preservation and the sustainable use of the secondary forests is highlighted.