CURRENT CONDITIONS

There has been out-migration from the valley for over 20 years; and in recent years, local population size has actually gone down as people leave for economic reasons. The current population of the valley is in the order of 7000 people.

Agriculture and livestock remain the foundations of livelihood for about 75% of the residents of the valley. Most of the remainder work in tourism. A relatively recent trend is the purchase of land by people who live and work elsewhere, and visit for rest and recreation. This has resulted in an increase in land cost.

Agriculture

Most families maintain huertos, often next to the home. These are small, mixed-use gardens, as shown in the photo to the right. Much of what is grown is for use by the family (i.e., subsistence agriculture), though some produce may be marketed locally. More information on huertos can be found in Section 3.

Larger areas of land, both at the valley bottom and on irrigated slopes, may also be devoted to single crops, in particular, sugar cane and corn. Coffee is also grown in the valley, sometimes planted amongst other trees.

Water: A Key Challenge

Much of the valley-bottom land is relatively easy to irrigate from the rivers; but these irrigation canals (one of which is shown at left) sometimes dry up in the height of the dry season. The few irrigation canals or pipes that bring water directly from the mountain watersheds serve only a small portion of the valley’s land area. In other words, most of the land under cultivation on the slopes is not irrigated at all. Without irrigation, it is not possible to maintain production of most fruits and vegetables outside the wet season.

Livestock

Under these circumstances, it is not hard to understand why most of the hillside land is devoted to grazing cows, mules and horses. (Because of tourism, horses are more important in Vilcabamba than in surrounding valleys.) However, an increasing number of individuals and organizations are exploring and implementing more productive and sustainable agricultural alternatives. (See the text box titled “Signs of Hope” in the next subsection on Environmental Impacts)

Reforestation Efforts

To date, reforestation efforts have been very modest, and have used mainly non-native species. In particular, eucalyptus (photo at left) and pine, for which seedlings are supplied on demand, have been planted both randomly and in small plantations. The eucalyptus, native to Australia, is fast growing, is not sensitive to soil type, and can be planted on very steep slopes. There are drawbacks to the use of introduced species; and eucalyptus species in particular release chemicals into the soil that inhibit growth of other plants. However, they do provide an option to control soil erosion, as well as a source of wood to help offset demands on indigenous forests. Some efforts have also been made to plant a local species of alder along rivers, to stabilize soils.

Fanning the Flames

In Vilcabamba, as elsewhere throughout the Andes, fire is used extensively as an agricultural tool.

Why do Agriculturalists Use Fire?

• Fire is a low-labour means of:
  - opening up new farmland and pastureland
  - clearing unwanted vegetation and preparing land for cultivation
  - burning off agricultural “waste”
  - getting rid of infestations

• Some agriculturalists also believe that setting fires will bring rain.

• Though there are laws that control the setting of fires, enforcement is minimal.

What are the Costs of Burning?

• Limited burning followed by long period of fallow, as in traditional shifting agriculture, can be sustainable. Extensive or frequent burning is not.

• Fires are set when the climate is dry. Those set to clear agricultural land frequently burn out of control, and are the principal cause of forest fires.

• Short-term costs associated with extensive burning can include:
  - loss of valuable plants and soil organisms (e.g., beneficial bacteria, insects, worms) and reduced soil fertility;
  - greater vulnerability of crops to disease and pests; and
  - in some circumstances, increased erosion of soils due to loss of cover.
  After a number of cycles, the land supports little more than thorny scrub, with grasses for pasture growing only during the rainy season.

• Over a longer time period and large areas, costs can include:
  - an increase in the aridity of the region due to decreased evapo-transpiration, especially where forest is lost to fire;
  - loss of native species associated with loss of forest habitat;
  - impacts on the hydrological cycle; and
  - increased atmospheric carbon, associated with global warming.

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