Habitat Destruction in Mexico

[Gregory Nielsen]

----- Mensaje original -----
De: Paul Cherubini <cherubini at mindspring.com>
Para: <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Enviado: Jueves, 18 de Mayo de 2000 12:36 p.m.
Asunto: Re: Habitat Destruction in Mexico


> Chris J. Durden wrote:
>
> > Yes that is what I am saying. These fires are not all in summit areas.
> > They are not in remote areas. There may be no paved road anywhere near,
but
> > there are trails that are regularly walked or driven by old pickups and
old
> > army surplus trucks carrying families or work crews.
>
> Why are these "families and work crews" alledgedly intentionally setting
the fires?
> What benefit do they derive from them?  Maybe there are legitimate
benefits?
>
> Paul Cherubini, Placerville, Calif.

Paul,

Fire is used all over in the new world tropics to clear land for planting or
some other activity. People cut down the forest and the then set fire to it
in the dry season. The ashes serve as fertilizer.  In the savannahs the
grass is set on fire during the dry season to provoke a new new growth for
the cattle.

Greg Nielsen, Villavicencio, Colombia