Fire management in pyrobiocultural landscapes, Chiapas, Mexico

Abstract

Communities in Chiapas are pioneers in fire management; for example, land users have to request burning permits from village organizations, following customary environmental management practices. This article reports on the cultural management of fire by indigenous Antelá and Tziscao communities in and around Lagunas de Montebello National Park, Chiapas, Mexico. It addresses territoriality, memory, regimes and management, and the integration of cultural knowledge and perspectives, with global relevance for all Indigenous peoples. This is the first published reference to the term “Pyrobiocultural” that the authors of this article (among others) have been developing over recent years.