A constant concern on the part of the administration of the Protected Areas of the Central Cordillera, is the incidence of "forest fires" during the last 6 years the Juan Bautista Pérez Rancier National Park (PNJBPR) has not been subject to incidence of forest fires favored by community interaction actions, but mainly weather conditions.
This can be considered acceptable and even beneficial for the conservation of the ecosystems and biodiversity of the protected area, but in reality large amounts of combustible material have been accumulating in the ecosystems of the grass savanna and coniferous forests, which puts the biological and ecological stability of the protected area.
Considering the experience of 2005 where large fires affected large areas of the Armando Bermúdez National Park and the José del Carmen Ramírez National Park, it is necessary to consider “prevention, surveillance, control and combat” actions that allow reducing or if it is feasible to cancel the incidence of forest fires within the protected area.
This technical sheet is the product of "planning and coordination" actions carried out by the administrator of the PNJBPR, Mr. Carlos Antonio Abreu (Cachimbo), who requested support to develop a document that had three basic characteristics:
- inventory of current physical, logistical and equipment capacities, a forest fire risk map for 2006; and a list of requirements that allow the development of preventive actions, surveillance, control and, if necessary, fighting forest fires.
After carrying out a quick coordination, it was possible to summon a group of members of the protection and surveillance team, as support technicians who have supported Consultor Marvin Melgar, in the development of various socio-environmental studies in order to develop a “micro-workshop for review and evaluation ” of the PNJBPR, in order to evaluate its current situation, the risk zones for forest fires and the list of priorities to develop actions for the prevention, surveillance, control and combat of forest fires.
As a result of the “micro-workshop”, this technical sheet was developed, which has as an additional (added) value to be able to serve as a methodological tool to be able to replicate the exercise in other protected areas of the “Central Cordillera”, it is important to indicate that despite The interesting of the results should be considered as preliminary and pending to develop workshops and field work in order to obtain the final results.
- goals
- Develop in an easy-to-understand way a planning tool that allows evaluating the current status and needs related to the prevention, evaluation, control and combat of forest fires for the 2006 PNJBPR season; Develop a methodology that can be extrapolated to other Protected Areas of the National System of Protected Areas and in priority form of the Central Mountain range;
- Have a monitoring and evaluation tool to face short-term actions at the level of prevention, control and combat of forest fires in areas considered high risk for the occurrence of forest fires.
- Historical background of forest fire incidence
Today fire is considered as part of natural processes in ecology. The origin, frequency and immensity of forest fires are the main characteristics to take into account. Hispaniola and especially in the PNJBPR area is no exception. Quite the contrary, since the Holocene fires were common in the Caribbean basin (Horn and Sanford 1992) and in the upper area of the Central Cordillera, evidence of eight thousand and four thousand year old Holocene fires has also been found as results. Preliminary investigations carried out at the PNJBPR, Armando Bermúdez National Park and José del Carmen Ramírez National Park, by a team from the University of Tenesse, United States, in collaboration with the Moscoso Puello Foundation.New and more extensive investigations are needed to know if the aborigines of the island already in pre-Columbian times had any impact on the highland area of the PNJBPR and on the Constanza valley. (EEI, 2002).
It is unquestionable that fire has played a determining role in the distribution of the pine forests of the central mountain range (Darrow and Zanoni 1993), but their natural regime is not yet known. Holdridge (1947) does not believe that natural fires are very frequent, at least in high areas, due to the high relative humidity of the air. The Pinus occidentalis not withstand fires in their seedling stage although adult, thick crust that characterizes it helps you resist pretty well fires (Darrow and Zanoni 1993). The aforementioned authors review research carried out in Haiti, where it was observed that pine regeneration was better after a forest fire. (EEI, 2002)
While it is true that fire is a natural component of the dynamics of any pine forest, it is also true that fires produced or caused by human impact can cause a change in the balance in ecological systems that can also lead to a contrasting loss of energy. native biodiversity. Already in 1930 Juan Bautista Pérez Rancier, reported the impact of fires in the PNJBPR area where "for every erect pine tree, there are ten charred on the ground" and he noticed differences between the pine forests and the savannas where the ugly incendiary of the " idle ”montero, which were kept clean while the savannas that had been burned were covered with weeds (could refer to Pteridium aquilinum). In 1943, Eng. José Luna denounced the damage created by forest fires in the Valle Nuevo area. Dr. Litgow, reviewing during an excursion to Mount Tina in 1946, leaving Trujillo's house in the PNJBPR itself and taking “the Maniel road (San José de Ocoa) with a general direction towards the South”, he observed that “the straw savannas surrounded by pine trees followed one another and for hours we saw those huge tracts of land sealed in burnt pine trees, a reminder of the fires caused by careless walkers when making stoves and fires ”. (EEI, 2002)
It is logical to assume that the fires in the region during that time were caused by careless huntsmen, or by peasants who neglected the candle used to clean the conuco or pasture. However, we can also assume that, with the increase in population and human activity in the area in the last four decades, not only the frequency of fires caused by human impact or in the region has increased, but also that the number of causes of fires and reasons for burning has increased. As an example we have a political cause behind one of the largest fires that occurred in the area that today is part of the Vallen Nuevo protected area in the last 40 years. (EEI, 2002)
According to De Lancer (1979), in the months of June and July of that year Ramfis, son of the Dictator Trujillo, who was in command of the military upgrades to counteract the anti-Trujillista guerrilla invasion of June 14 by Constanza, Maimon and Estero Hondo commanded a napalm bombardment in the northern part of the protected area to kill the guerrillas who were hiding in the mountains in the area. During the same event, according to the same order, the peasants in various areas set fire to the hills to make the "bearded men" flee, (surely to avoid the problems that a visit from these to their communities could bring). Elderly informants from the community of El Convento, the entry point to the PNJBPR from Constanza, testified that the fires caused by the bombings continued for almost a month. The guides of the El Pichón and Mechesito hills, of which they were "cocuyos", that is, agents of Petan Trujillo (another member of the dictator family of ill repute), also testified about the bombings and confirmed that the area of El Pichón, currently the northeastern part of the protected area, was affected by them. The exact location of these bombings must be obtained to make an analysis of the changes in vegetation and landscape, information that can be very useful for management recommendations. (EEI, 2002)
Another important fire was the one that occurred in 1983 in the Sabana Queliz area, central point of the PNJBPR (also called Valle Nuevo), which devastated 51,200 pines and other ecosystems. This fire caused the initial decree that gave rise to the Valle Nuevo Scientific Reserve to be issued. There are unsubstantiated rumors about the cause of this fire, including that it was caused by politicians or landowners wishing they could take advantage of the pine forests in light of the strict laws that controlled logging, or wanting to clear the grounds in order to give them a boost. agricultural use. These cases show that there are other causes that have increased the intensity of fires in the region (and in the country in general), and one that has become common is the use of fire as a “weapon of resistance”by peasants or larger landowners, against strict forest policies that were established in the late 1960s by the Balaguer government that limit access to and use of natural resources, especially timber and land for planting. (EEI, 2002)
Undoubtedly, these fires caused by human activities in the PNJBPR region have had an important impact on the landscape of the region, Vélez (1984) describes in four links the changes in the succession of vegetation in the Central Cordillera after one or more various fires. A pine forest with broadleaf trees in the understory, when burned, turns into an open pine forest with straw (Danthonia domingesis and other endemic herbs). If it continues to burn frequently it will become an open pine forest with pastures, Yaraguà or Melinis minituflora, and / or Panicum nitidumand other grasses introduced or not typical of high areas. Eventually, if the sequence of fires increases, the pines may disappear or be very sporadic and become open pastures or paddocks as can be seen on the southern slope of the protected area on the Guayabal side in the towns of Palma Cana, La Finca, Las Cuevas and the left bank of the Pinar Bonito stream in Pinar Parejo. A good example of this practice is the frequent catastrophic fires or not in the recent history of the PNJBPR. (See annex 2 and 3) (EEI, 2002)
The information collected suggests that Pinus occidentalis is better adapted to conditions of moderate to high humidity and possibly to a fire regime of not less than twenty years. Catastrophic fires have occurred in the area more or less every five or ten years, at least in some areas such as Cuevita and Pajòn Blanco. It has been suggested that changes in the fire regime alter the distribution of flora associated with Florida pine forests and it has even been proposed that some dry savannas are the result of anthropic impact (Abrhamson and Hartnett 1990).
- Micro-workshop review and evaluation results
This document is a response to the "communication" addressed to the technical staff of the Directorate of Protected Areas dated January 24, 2006, where the preparation of "a list of what is effectively available and the priority needs" is requested, considering said request, the administration of the Juan Bautista Pérez Rancier National Park (PNJBPR), considers it prudent to develop a “micro-workshop for review and evaluation” in order to:
- inventory current physical, logistical and equipment capacities, establish a forest fire risk map for 2006; and a list of requirements that allow the development of preventive actions, surveillance, control and, if necessary, fighting forest fires.
For the success of the “proposed purposes” a micro-workshop was held today where the following participated:
The administration of the Juan Bautista Pérez Rancier National Park (PNJBPR), asked Lic. Marvin Melgar, Specialist Consultant in Protected Areas, his collaboration to facilitate the workshop and write the corresponding technical report.
The points discussed in the " review and evaluation micro-workshop " are broken down below.
4. 1 Inventory of physical, logistical and equipment capacities
By developing an a priori list of the current capacity for preventive, control and possible forest fire fighting actions, we can generally indicate that currently the Juan Bautista Pérez Rancier National Park is not duly strengthened, the list by line is broken down into Table 1, which is presented below:
Table 1: Inventory of physical, logistical and equipment capacities of the PNJBPR
| to. Human Resources |
| 6 Park Rangers
1 Supervisor 1 Administrator 2 fire control tower observers (1 suspended due to illness) |
| b. Logistics |
| Currently the PNJBPR does not have any two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicles, which makes prevention, control, surveillance and possible combat actions difficult. |
| c. Equipment |
| There is no precise inventory of forest fire fighting equipment, but the administrative offices have:
- Machetes or breadsticks; - Axes; - Radio transmitter equipment (base radio only) - Camping equipment for park rangers (tents, sleeping bag, bedspreads, etc.) |
Source: PNJBPR Review and Evaluation Microtaller, 2006.
As can be seen, the PNJBPR "does not have the human resources, logistics and equipment" necessary for any prevention and contingency action for the 2006 forest fire season.
4.2. Forest fire risk map season 2006
A tool that has proven to be effective in developing planning “models” for forest fire prevention and fighting actions is the development of “forest fire risk maps”. The main objective for the development of a risk map "is to determine through socio-environmental, socio-productive, bioclimatic and ecological factors" sectors whose feasibility of fire occurrence is greater. With this, actions can be outlined in the prevention phases (mainly) that allow the generation of synergies with the key actors (if they exist) to prevent the occurrence of forest fires or involve them through voluntary brigades to control and combat forest fires through community level.
Having a map also enables the team to develop, within its monthly and annual planning, the development of monitoring actions in order to direct the scarce human, physical and logistical resources to consider those areas with the highest incidence of fires, without forgetting or consider that a risk map is based on probabilities and conjectures, which brings in itself an "uncertainty factor" that must always be considered. For the preparation of the "2006 forest fire risk map" for the Juan Bautista Pérez Rancier National Park, the following methodological steps were followed:
Step 1: Sectorization of the PNJBPR area into geographic quadrants
Regarding the “map of land use and coverage”, prepared by the Moscoso Puello Foundation (FMP), the PNJBPR area was divided into geographical quadrants, in order to facilitate the analysis of information. team the ideal number of sectors and what would be the nomenclature that could be understandable for members of the PNJBPR, as well as for communities that live within the protected area as well as on its periphery. It was decided to use a quadrant of the “Cartesian plane” on which the coverage map of the protected area would be divided into geographical quadrants, as shown in the figure below:
Figure 1: Example of sectorization of geographical quadrants of the PNJBPR
Step 2: Identification of social, economic, environmental and ecological variables
From the sectorization into geographic quadrants, the team participating in the micro-workshop proceeded to identify the social, economic, environmental and ecological variables to qualify and quantify, which will allow to establish prioritization levels by geographic quadrant and thereby establish strategies and actions at the level. preventive, control and / or combat in the 2006 forest fire season. Table No. 2 shows the variables identified by the work team, to simplify the analysis they did not focus on those "variables" easy to identify and recognize. On the part of the actors involved in the “micro-workshop for review and evaluation”, it is important to highlight that for a more in-depth “evaluation” to be integrated into the"Thematic Control and Surveillance Plan" as a management tool for the future "Management Plan of the PNJBPR" should develop a more in-depth exercise considering a greater number of variables per "area" to be able to qualify and quantify. Again it is necessary to highlight that the "premise" of "prevention and non-reaction" was the backbone with which the table of variables was constructed, its weighting and subsequent analysis.
Table 2: Variables to qualify and quantify
| Not. | Variable | Description |
| one. | Urban area of internal or external communities | Presence of infrastructure for housing or agricultural production, of communities that are located within or on the periphery of the PNJBPR limits, only the 33 communities identified in the 2005 CSR were considered, where the main means for cooking food is the so-called stove, thus As it is also reported at the DR level that 43% of the rural population smokes cigarettes, one of the main responsible for fires in PA and forest reserves. (Look at annex 1) |
| two. | Agricultural production areas | Areas dedicated by internal or external communities for the development of agricultural activities, which could cause risk due to the handling of insecticide containers that in contact with other inorganic elements of the soil or interaction with solar rays could cause temperature increases that will cause weed fires, considering also that the "edge" effect causes in these areas the presence of understory and pioneer species that are more susceptible to ignition. |
| 3. | Livestock production areas. | One of the tools used for the renovation of pastures by breeders of larger and / or smaller cattle is fire, therefore those areas dedicated to raising cattle, goats or sheep are considered high risk. |
| Not. | Variable | Description |
| 4 | Lack of education, awareness and prevention actions. | Logically, the greatest success of any plan, strategy or action should be based on “prevention”. It should be considered that the PNJBPR has 33 communities located within its limits (20 communities) and in the nearby periphery (13 communities) as well as a total of 17 owners with recreational and agro-productive actions. Not having education, awareness and prevention actions automatically generates high risk areas for the incidence of forest fires. |
| 5 | Area frequented by tourists for camping. | Most tourists use the classic "campfire" to cook their food or to stay, many of them smoke or use elements that can be good fuels or igniters, coupled with the lack of capacity for attention, education and environmental awareness They can be declared high risk areas for the occurrence of forest fires. |
| 6 | Close to main rural roads. | The proximity of the main rural roads, where the continuous traffic of motor vehicles puts vegetation at risk, due to the fact that people can dispose of everything from cigarette butts, glass bottles that could function as magnifying glasses for concentrating the sun's rays or even arson fire.. |
| 7 | Area with coordination of fuel elements | It is known at a technical and empirical level that in those areas where natural or provoked fires have not occurred for more than three years, the accumulation of organic elements (mainly in coniferous forests) is the crucible for large “creeping-type” forest fires. The FAO obtained during the evaluations of the 1998 and 2000 fire season in Central America that those areas that suffered the impact of the 1998 fires were not affected during the year 2000, in some cases such as the “Laguna del Tigre National Park ”(Guatemala)The fire of the year 2000 skirted the 1998 fire zone without entering, said area was respected by the subsequent fire seasons until those that occurred in 2005 where it penetrated due to the recovery and accumulation of combustible materials. We must remember that the PNJBPR has not reported large fires since 2000, so the concentration of combustible material, especially in the so-called "grasslands" and coniferous forests can be considered high risk. (See annex 2 and 3) |
| Not. | Variable | Description |
| 8 | Areas with vegetation cover that are difficult to access. | Although the PNJBPR has a wide network of internal roads, there are areas where access from the internal area of the PA is difficult, but there are perimeter or internal communities that live or work in these areas, which can be considered as high risk areas for the occurrence of forest fires. |
| 9 | Ecosystems to end to fire ecology. | More than 40% of the PNJBPR territory belongs to “Coniferous” ecosystems where “fire” is part of their natural evolution, therefore the incidence of forest fires will be higher than in other ecosystems such as “humid broadleaf forests” or “forests of mist ”. |
Source: AES Methodology, with data from Microtaller, Melgar, M 2006.
It is important to highlight that for the identification of the variables to qualify and quantify, only the intrinsic characteristics of the protected area were considered, at a socio-environmental, socio-productive and ecological level. External variables such as the presence or lack of logistics, equipment, trained human resources (paid or volunteer), weather conditions of the year, etc. were not considered.
Step 3: Weighting of the variables to qualify
In order to present the attendees to the micro-workshop, we proceeded to develop a numerical and descriptive weighting that was easy to understand, for which part of the "multivariate" analysis method was taken where a weight of "0 to 4" was assigned according to the degree of incidence for the occurrence of "forest fires". Thus, the assistants can, in the fourth step, develop the prioritization of the geographic quadrants susceptible to forest fire risks in an empty table. Table No. 3 presents the weighting by degree of incidence.
Table 3: Weighting by degree of incidence of forest fires
| Weighing | Descriptive degree of incidence |
| 0 | Null |
| one | Low |
| two | Half |
| 3 | high |
| 4 | Very high |
Source: AES Methodology, Melgar, M 2006.
The simple summation of the weighting for each of the quadrants crossed with the nine variables evaluated allows us to establish those quadrants that could have greater susceptibility to the occurrence of forest fires during 2006, we must consider that the six members who participated in the micro-workshop they know AP very well, although the evaluation can be considered a priori.
Step 4: Analysis of incidence of variables by quadrant
After establishing the different management tools, the planning team proceeded to develop with those attending the micro-workshop a weighting on the variables and geographic quadrants determined.
As a product of this process, it is presented in Table No. 3, product of the assessment based on technical, historical and empirical knowledge of the territory occupied by the PNJBPR, it is important to emphasize that the exercise is based on the “multivariate analysis model ” Logically modified to simplify it as much as possible due to the number of participants and especially the relatively short time for the development of the exercise and the writing of this document.
Table 3: Weighting of the forest fire incidence variable
| Quadrant
geographical |
Forest fire incidence variable | Total | ||||||||
| one | two | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 1.A | two | two | two | 4 | 0 | 3 | two | two | 3 | twenty |
| 1 B | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | two | one | one | one | 19 |
| 1 C | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | one | 4 | 3 | two | two | 25 |
| 1.D | one | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | two | two | two | two | 18 |
| 2.A | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | two | one | one | 22 |
| 2.B | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3. 4 |
| 2 C | two | 3 | two | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
| 2.D | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | one | two | one | two | 22 |
| 3.A | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | one | two | one | one | twenty |
| 3.B | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | two | 28 |
| 3.C | 3 | two | one | 3 | one | 3 | 4 | 4 | two | 2. 3 |
| 3.D | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | two | two | 3 | two | twenty-one |
| 4.A | one | 3 | 3 | two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 09 |
| 4.B | 3 | 3 | two | 3 | 0 | two | two | 3 | 3 | twenty-one |
| 4.C | two | 4 | 4 | 4 | one | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
| 4.D | two | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | two | two | two | two | 19 |
Source: Weighting of the micro-workshop
Review and evaluation season
Forest fires 2006, PNJBPR, Melgar. M.
Step 5: Development of a traffic light table to identify quadrants with the greatest possibility of forest fires
Starting from table No. 3, the team made an identification of those quadrants that could be more susceptible to the occurrence of forest fires due to the presence of "incidence variables", together it was decided to be more practical and above all understandable assign a color by degree of susceptibility, for which table No. 4 was developed, which is presented below:
Table 4: Semaphore type prioritization of quadrants of probability of forest fires
| Not. | Degree of probability of fire occurrence | Score range | Assigned color | Traffic light |
| one | High risk | 25 - 36 | Red | |
| two | Medium risk | 20 - 24 | Orange | |
| 3 | Low risk | 15 - 19 | Yellow | |
| 4 | No risk | 00 - 14 | Green |
Source: AES Methodology, Melgar, M 2006.
Table 5: Quadrant signaling
| Quadrant
geographical |
Forest fire incidence variable | Total | ||||||||
| one | two | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 1.A | two | two | two | 4 | 0 | 3 | two | two | 3 | twenty |
| 1 B | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | two | one | one | one | 19 |
| 1 C | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | one | 4 | 3 | two | two | 25 |
| 1.D | one | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | two | two | two | two | 18 |
| 2.A | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | two | one | one | 22 |
| 2.B | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3. 4 |
| 2 C | two | 3 | two | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
| 2.D | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | one | two | one | two | 22 |
| 3.A | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | one | two | one | one | twenty |
| 3.B | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | two | 28 |
| 3.C | 3 | two | 3 | 3 | one | 4 | 4 | 4 | two | 26 |
| 3.D | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | two | two | 3 | two | twenty-one |
| 4.A | one | 3 | 3 | two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 09 |
| 4.B | 3 | 3 | two | 3 | 0 | two | two | 3 | 3 | twenty-one |
| 4.C | two | 4 | 4 | 4 | one | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
| 4.D | two | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | two | two | two | two | 19 |
Source: Weighting of the micro-workshop
Review and evaluation season
Forest fires 2006, PNJBPR, Melgar. M.
In conclusion, six (6) quadrant with "high risk" for the incidence of forest fires could be determined, due to the variables of incidence analyzed, the quadrants and their location are presented in the following summary table:
Table 6: Quadrant signaling
| Quadrant
geographical |
Geographic landmarks | |
| 1 C | Area between the micro-basins of Pinalito, Tireo, Madre Vieja, bordering the construction of the new “Hidroeléctrica Pinalito”, with various entry points from the route of Portezuelo, Tireo, Tireo en Medio, La Paloma, Los Sánchez. Currently part of the Bonao - Constanza highway is being built. | |
| 2.B | Main entrance that leads from Constanza to the PNJBPR, secondary forests, closed and open conifers and mixed that border the agricultural communities of Monte Llano, El Castillo, La Siberia, Pinar Bonito, Pinar Parejo, etc. | |
| 2 C | Area with open, closed and mixed coniferous forest coverage, in addition to the existence of high altitude savannas and the so-called degraded areas of "pajonales", takes a large part of the central zone of Valle Nuevo, Alto de Banderas, administrative area of the PNJBPR, Owners Private (PURAMA, Flores Antillanas, Villas el Pajonal, Jardines Juna, Familia Villella, etc.). | |
| 3.B | Areas with a high agricultural incidence on the part of perimeter communities of the PNJBPR, especially La Finca, Palmar Cana and from Guayabal. Highly degraded forests with grazing areas for livestock and in general subsistence agriculture. | |
| 3.C | Area with the highest tourist incidence, due to the presence of the "Pyramids" as well as other scenic attractions, as well as a large accumulation of combustible material. It is also part of the agro-productive areas of the community of Las Espinas, where there is great resistance in the protection and management of the PNJBPR. | |
| 4.C | Final section of the Constanza - San José de Ocoa highway, integrating a large part of the agro-productive areas of the community of Las Espinas and La Nuez, as indicated, communities where there is no guarantee on the need to protect and conserve the protected area, in addition to a large accumulation of combustible material. |
Source: Weighting of the micro-workshop
Review and evaluation season
Forest fires 2006, PNJBPR, Melgar. M.
Figure 2: Map of risk quadrants for the 2006 forest fire season.
Source: Modified map
de FMP, by Melgar, M.
2006
- List of requirements that allow the development of preventive actions, surveillance, control and, if applicable, fighting forest fires.
After identifying in the "risk map" the possible areas susceptible to forest fires, we proceeded with the team of technicians and operatives attending the "review and evaluation micro-workshop" to consider what should be the priority needs to be covered. In order to objectively determine the requirements, it was proposed to the team members to base themselves on the following assumptions:
- SEMARN and specifically the Directorate of Protected Areas, does not have the financial resources to face all the demands of human, logistical and material resources; Prevention actions can be generated with few financial resources, but it is necessary to have logistics of mobility; Based on the historical antecedents (Annex 2 and 3) and bioclimatic conditions, there is a high probability of fires for the 2006 season; We will consider the voluntary participation of internal and external communities located in the high risk quadrants for the occurrence of forest fires in the 2006 season; There will probably be direct support for the PNJBPR of the Project for the Management and Conservation of the Upper Yaque del Norte River Basin (PROCARYN),although this may not arrive in the period of viability of forest fires.
Based on the above assumptions, the following requirements table was prepared:
Table 7: List of requirements for the 2006 wildfire season
| Preventive phase |
| Human Resources:
1. Hiring of at least four new park rangers; 2. Training in environmental education and awareness, as well as in forest fire control and fighting for old and new park rangers; 3. Hiring at least two forestry extension workers on a temporary basis, through PROCARYN funds; 4. Integration of at least 1 “volunteer” forest fire brigade made up of community members and private owners. |
| Preventive phase |
| Logistics Resources:
1. Have at least 2 off-road motorcycles; 2. Repair the base radio; 3. Have at least 4 mobile radios; 4. Have at least 2 cell phones (in the PNJBPR there is a signal in almost all of its Veraizon Territory). |
| Promotion:
1. Prepare and reproduce at least 1 pamphlet and 1 bi-fold to distribute to high-risk communities; 2. Participate in radio and television programs in Constanza on the prevention of forest fires, with the participation of technical personnel from the Directorate of Protected Areas and the Management of Foresta; 3. Develop at least one workshop in communities located in the “high risk quadrants”; 4. Develop a workshop on environmental and forest legislation aimed at members of the national army, national police, environmental police, inspectors and members of civil society, explaining the legal and judicial implications of those people identified as responsible for forest fires, and should be promoted so that civil society finds out. |
| Operational phase |
| Human Resources:
1. Hiring of at least ten new park guards (temporary or permanent); 2. Integration of at least 1 brigade of "volunteer" forest firefighters made up of community members and private owners. |
| Logistics Resources:
1. Have at least 2 off-road motorcycles; 2. Have a four-wheel drive vehicle, preferably a pickup; 3. Repair the base radio; 4. Have at least 8 mobile radios; 5. Have at least 2 cell phones (in the PNJBPR there is a signal in almost all of its Veraizon territory); 6. Purchase of equipment for at least 1 forest fire brigade (32 pieces); 7. Purchase of at least 1000 food rations for combatants and brigade members; 8. Have at least 6 first aid kits; 9. Have petty cash for emergency purchases and especially fuel be used in vehicles of the protected area or rented for actions of Combat. |
Source: Weighting resulting from the review and evaluation micro-workshop, 2006 forest fire season , PNJBPR, Melgar. M.
It is important to consider that the participants in the "review and evaluation micro-workshop" consider them pertinent the execution of "prevention" actions as the main tool, which apparently of those involved in this document is considered feasible and viable due to the actions developed within of the process of elaboration of the Management Plan and Technical Studies, which has allowed generating a positive "synergy" that could facilitate the development of actions with the members of the communities and private owners.
It is also important to consider that if forest fire control and fighting brigades are formed, they are used as a platform for "prevention" and not for "reaction", as well as the "NO" that must be paid, the point of the "Environmental Compensation Approach", giving the communities of "Sector CAM 1" that make up Monte Llano, El Castillo, La Siberia, Pinar Parejo, are willing to collaborate in the brigades without payment, as part of the "environmental compensation" scheme. for the agro-productive activities carried out within the protected area.
The development of "promotion" actions have shown that they are successful. It is important to use the different means of communication that are available in the communities, mainly the Radio as a means of transmitting information on the risks of setting off uncontrolled fires, in addition to using television in Constanza considering that a large part of the people who work in the 11 internal and external communities actually live in the municipality, therefore its incidence is high.
The integration of the Upper Yaque del Norte River Basin Project (PROCARYN), due to its logistics and resources, could allow the implementation of actions in the “preventive phase” and, if necessary, in the “operational phase”. Considering the use of emergency resources to achieve very short-term actions (month of February) that allow for the transport logistics that is imperative for the development of prevention, education and environmental awareness actions in internal and external communities.
Bibliography
- Aid of Memory of "Microtaller of Review and Evaluation of Planning of Season of Forest Fires 2006", written by Melgar, M. 2006.Chardòn, C. Through the Central Cordillera, In: Ml. From Js. Tavares Sucs., C by A (1947). Mountaineering in the Dominican Republic. Editorial el Diario. Santiago, Dominican Republic. http: /eevoolucion.blogspot.com(Virtual Space of the School of Evolutionary Organic Planning) 2005. Guerrero, A. and MM Mcpherson, Integrated History of the Juan Bautista Pérez Rancier National Park Region (Valle Nuevo). In: Integrated Ecological Evaluation of the Juan B. Pérez Rancier National Park (Valle Nuevo), Editor: Francisco Núñez. Secretary of State for the Environment and Natural Resources / Moscoso Puello Foundation, 2002. Melgar, M.: Socioeconomic Study of Communities Settled in the Buffer Zone of the Protected Areas of the Region of Conservation and Sustainable Development (RECODES) "Metapan". El Salvador Environmental Project (PAES), IDB, CATIE. El Salvador, 2002; Melgar, M. 2003. Baseline Diagnosis of the Department of Rivas Nicaragua, IAK-GOPA / GTZ.SURENA,Brief Diagnosis of the Impact of Agricultural and Summer Activities and Infrastructure in the Area of the Valle Nuevo Scientific Reserve, Constanza, 1994.
Acronyms, acronyms and abbreviations
| AP | Protected area |
| IDB | Inter-American Development Bank |
| BM | world Bank |
| BMZ | Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development |
| CARICOM | Caribbean Community |
| CDE | Dominican Electricity Corporation |
| CATIE | Tropical Agronomic Center for Research and Teaching |
| CDM | Municipal Development Committee |
| CCP | Short Term Consultant |
| CV | Curriculum vitae |
| CSR | Rapid Socioeconomic Characterization |
| FROM D | Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst (German Service for Social-Technical Cooperation) |
| DAP | National Directorate Protected Areas |
| Euro | European Currency |
| EPOE | School of Evolutionary Organic Planning |
| EA | Environmental education |
| FAO | Food and agriculture Organization - World Food and Agriculture Organization |
| GTZ | Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (German Technical Cooperation) |
| HELVETAS | Swiss Association for Development and Cooperation |
| IICA | Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture |
| IPCC | Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |
| KfW | Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (Bank of Reconstruction) |
| I | Monitoring and evaluation |
| MLD | Clean Development Mechanisms |
| OG | Government organization |
| NGO | Non Governmental Organization |
| ILO | International Labor Organization |
| OT | Territorial Planning |
| OTN | National Technical Office (CATIE Delegation) |
| UNDP | United Nations Development Program |
| PIF-RD | Forest Incentives Program of the Dominican Republic |
| POA | Annual operative plan |
| POG | General Operating Plan |
| Pot | Territorial arrangement planning |
| PROCARYN | Sustainable Management Project for the Upper Yaque del Norte River Basin |
| PSA | Payment of Environmental Services |
| RB | Biosphere Reserve |
| RECODES | Conservation and Sustainable Development Region |
| SNAP-RD | National System of Protected Areas of the Dominican Republic |
| BE | Secretary of State for Agriculture |
| SEMARN | Secretary of State for the Environment and Natural Resources |
| TdR | Terms of reference |
| TNC | The Nature Conservancy (NGO Conservation Natural) |
| UCA | Catholic University -El Salvador- |
| EU | European Union |
| IUCN | World Conservation Union |
| USAID | United States International Development Cooperation Agency |
| WWF-CA | World Wide Fund for Nature Central America |
