Fire, culture and conservation: an ethnographic study of charcoal production in agroforestry systems of the Sierra of Zongolica, Mexico

Fire in rural communities is essential for daily life: it provides heat and helps cook food. In the Nahua houses of the Zongolica Sierra in Veracruz, Mexico, the hearth occupies a special place in the home, as it is where families gather. Fire is considered almost a divinity and a family member, around which emotions and special bonds are generated. Additionally, it is sensitive to changes occurring in the household, such as illness or difficult times. All the firewood and charcoal used in this indigenous region come from agroforestry systems that its inhabitants have cared for overtime as part of their cultural landscape; specifically, the extraction is carried out using ancestral techniques, dating back to before the conquest. This means there is a very close connection between caring for these agroforestry systems and using the hearths at home to prepare food. This relationship is vital for achieving food sovereignty and the well-being of families. This work aims to describe the relationship between productive activities and their connection with the extraction of dendroenergy. For this, direct observations were made at homes and field trips in the Zongolica Sierra, Mexico. In recent decades, it has been noted that the main consumers of firewood and charcoal are found in cities. The context of external markets will influence the demand for dendroenergy products from the Zongolica Sierra, affecting the availability and management of the forest fragments where firewood and charcoal are produced, modifying the dynamics of these agroforestry systems and the management of the species used for this purpose.