Socio-environmental assessment of the Aguas Clara microbasin, Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, City of Bonanza

Abstract

The study was conducted in the Aguas Claras micro-watershed, located south of the city of Bonanza. It includes part of the urban area and the Aguas Claras, Ojochal and Pioneer communities. The main problems identified are related to poor agricultural, livestock and artisanal mining practices. The purpose was to describe the socio-environmental importance of the micro-watershed. A documentary compilation of the theoretical, legal and contextual framework of the situation was carried out. An on-site analysis of the soil and water corresponding to various zones was carried out, adapting tools and instruments based on a rapid diagnosis of biophysical, social and environmental elements to obtain the necessary information and preliminarily assess the socio-environmental importance using a scale of five indices for each indicator. A survey was applied to 90 farm owners and, based on the Likert method, interviews were also conducted with community members in the area, reflecting an average management percentage of 71.73, which, when compared with the rapid assessment scale, showed that the micro-watershed is being poorly managed. The benefits provided by the micro-watershed are favorable from the perspective of sustainable territorial development. The main products cultivated are basic grains, tubers, musaceae and milk derivatives. Poor management is related to various anthropogenic factors. The micro-watershed offers benefits from the point of view of environmental sustainability and development of flora and fauna. The results obtained served to present alternatives for the design of a socio-environmental proposal for the study area.