Historia ambiental de las comunidades indígenas de Bosawás, Nicaragua: un análisis metabólico

The areas of the planet that are most biologically diverse tend to overlap extensively with indigenous peoples’ lands. This has led to considerable in­terest in indigenous subsistence practices and their potential as buffer zones against the advance of the agricultural frontier, as is the case in the Biosphere Reserve of Bosawás (Nicaragua). In recent decades it has attracted a large group of researchers and conservation agencies, interested in the environmental impact of the subsistence practices of Mayangna and Miskitu Indians. However, few studies have addressed the historical perspective of natural resource management. Applying the theoretical framework proposed by social metabolism theory, this article suggests a dia­chronic characterization of the multiple land-use patterns of indigenous peoples in the Bosawás Reserve. A detailed literature review and a collection of oral histories of these communities reveal how a multiple use logic has been preserved from pre-colonial times as the substrate on which the communities have actively incorporated innovations from foreign cultures.