by Carmenza Castiblanco Rozo & Diana Milena Lara
Presented at the 15th Conference of the International Society of Ecological Economics in the city of Puebla, México, September 10 to 12, 2018
Abstract:
The presentation highlights the importance of the socio-ecosystemic approach and participatory methodologies for the understanding of socio-environmental conflicts of Colombia’s interior wetlands and their ecosystem services. The analysis is carried out based on a comprehensive analysis strategy that includes elements of that approach as focal points of interpretation. In this sense, conflicts between human activities and the sustainability of wetlands are a focal point of the discussion. The analysis of three study areas that represent the complexity of the urban, protected and rural context (Jaboque wetland, El Yulo and Orotoy micro-basin) is carried out, through a social assessment (using the Q methodology), the analysis of trade-offs and conflicts for each study area. Results show the similarities of the problems of the analyzed wetlands and the importance of the role of the community and public entities in their protection. This is a national overview of the challenges and opportunities at several levels: management of the wetlands’ diversity, decision-making and policy design, thus pointing out the wetlands’ importance for risk management and climate change strategies. The Q methodology is presented as an important approach that takes into account the plurality of values with respect to ecosystem services, which is useful for decision-making.