Cambios en el paisaje inducidos por dinámicas socioeconómicas: un estudio de caso cartográfico en una microcuenca del norte del tolima (1955 a 2010)

Abstract

El análisis cartográfico de una zona, permite identificar cambios del paisaje y de su dinámica antrópica en un territorio; estos reflejan procesos sociales generados por la interacción hombre-naturaleza. Se realizó una revisión histórica y cartográfica de los cambios del paisaje en una zona del municipio del Líbano (Tolima). Este trabajo se desarrollo en el marco del proyecto de investigación titulado “Agroecosistemas y cultura en fincas de la ecorregión cafetera del Tolima: evolución y conflicto” financiado por la Oficina Central de Investigaciones de la Universidad del Tolima. El objetivo del estudio fue documentar los cambios en los usos del suelo en el territorio de la microcuenca La Tigrera, especialmente la evolución de los agroecosistemas de café y su influencia en la transformación del paisaje. Se revisó información secundaria como mapas temáticos, literatura especializada e información institucional del Comité de Cafeteros del Tolima y de Cortolima. Por otra parte, se analizaron fotos aéreas (escala aproximada 1:60.000) de los años 1955, 1965, 1988 y 2010. Estas se procesaron de forma análoga a través de fotointerpretación, para cuantificar las áreas de ocupación de los usos del suelo presentes en el área de estudio. Se usó un ambiente SIG para crear cartografía temática de usos del suelo, utilizando programas especializados como AutoCAD 2010, Global Mapper, gvSIG 1.10 y ArcGis 1.10, con los cuales se procesaron imágenes tipo raster a partir de la digitalización de las fotos aéreas. Los resultados sugieren transformaciones del paisaje y patrones de uso de la tierra como consecuencia de las decisiones de actores que están inmersos en sistemas socioeconómicos y biofísicos, caracterizados por una compleja red de interrelaciones que evolucionan en el tiempo. Es notoria la reducción del área de bosques para dar paso primero a la caficultura y luego a las pasturas. Se concluye que las relaciones espaciales y de uso del suelo en la ecorregión cafetera del Tolima, son una expresión particular de las relaciones socioeconómicas originadas por la caficultura, lo que marca un ámbito tradicional en las decisiones que se toman en la familia, pero influenciadas por fuerzas macroeconómicas. Abstract The cartographic analysis of an area allows identification of the landscape changes and the anthropic dynamics in a territory; they reflect social processes generated by human-nature interaction. A historical and cartographic review of the landscape changes was carried out in an area of the Municipality of Líbano (Tolima). This work was developed within the framework of the research project “Agroecosystems and culture in farms of the coffee ecoregion of Tolima: evolution and conflict” financed by the Central Research Office at Universidad del Tolima. The aim of the study was to document changes in land use in the territory of La Tigrera watershed, especially the evolution of coffee agroecosystems and their influence on the transformation of the landscape. Secondary information was reviewed including thematic maps, specialized literature and institutional information of the Tolima Coffee Growers Committee and Cortolima. On the other hand, aerial photographs (approximate scale 1: 60,000) for the years 1955, 1965, 1988 and 2010 were analyzed and processed using analogue photo interpretation to quantify areas of occupation of land use present in the study area. A GIS environment was used to create thematic mapping of land use, using specialized programs like AutoCAD 2010, Global Mapper, gvSIG 1.10 and ArcGIS 1.10 with which raster images were processed from digitization of aerial photos. The results suggest changes in the landscape and patterns of land use as a result of the decisions of actors involved in socio-economic and biophysical systems, characterized by a complex network of relationships that evolve over time. The reduction of forest areas to give way to coffee first and then to pasture is notorious. It is concluded that the spatial relationships and land use in the Tolima coffee eco-region are a particular expression of the socio-economic relations caused by the coffee industry, marking a traditional area in the decisions made within the family but influenced by macroeconomic forces.

The cartographic analysis of an area allows identification of the landscape changes and the anthropic dynamics in a territory; they reflect social processes generated by human-nature interaction. A historical and cartographic review of the landscape changes was carried out  in an area of the Municipality of Líbano (Tolima). This work was developed within the framework of the research project “Agroecosystems and culture in farms of the coffee ecoregion of Tolima: evolution and conflict” financed by the Central Research Office at Universidad del Tolima. The aim of the study was to document changes in land use in the territory of La Tigrera watershed, especially the evolution of coffee agroecosystems and their influence on the transformation of the landscape. Secondary information was reviewed including thematic maps, specialized literature and institutional information of the Tolima Coffee Growers Committee and Cortolima. On the other hand, aerial photographs (approximate scale 1: 60,000) for the years 1955, 1965, 1988 and 2010 were analyzed and processed using analogue photo interpretation to quantify areas of occupation of land use present in the study area. A GIS environment was used to create thematic mapping of land use, using specialized programs like AutoCAD 2010, Global Mapper, gvSIG 1.10 and ArcGIS 1.10 with which raster images were processed from digitization of aerial photos. The results suggest changes in the landscape and patterns of land use as a result of the decisions of actors involved in socio-economic and biophysical systems, characterized by a complex network of relationships that evolve over time. The reduction of forest areas to give way to coffee first and then to pasture is notorious. It is concluded that the spatial relationships and land use in the Tolima coffee eco-region are a particular expression of the socio-economic relations caused by the coffee industry, marking a traditional area in the decisions made within the family but influenced by macroeconomic forces.