The Creation of a New Identity: Defending the Forest in Cinquera in El Salvador

Authors

  • Doribel HERRADOR-VALENCIA Proyecto Prometeo/FLACSO Ecuador
  • Enric MENDIZÁBAL RIERA Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain)

Keywords:

Identity, place, Topophilia, Cinquera forest, El Salvador’s armed conflict

Abstract

The Cinquera Natural Area in El Salvador hosts a secondary forest that naturally grew in agricultural lands which were abandoned by peasants during the armed conflict in El Salvador that occurred from 1980 to 1992. The bombing raids by the National Army over several areas of the country forced the population to leave their homes and agricultural lands and seek protection in refugee camps. This happened, among many other places, in the little town of Cinquera, which was totally devastated by the National Army bombings. When the people of Cinquera went back to their town after the Peace Accords from 1992 to start reconstructing their village, they found a thick forest in the old agricultural lands which had regrown during the years of the war. A newly organized village of Cinquera started a new life, recognizing the ecological value of their forest and developing a view of the forest as a symbol of their new identity. This document describes the history of the protection of the forest by the Cinquera people, who have been designing various strategies aimed at the development of their territory.

Author Biography

Enric MENDIZÁBAL RIERA, Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain)

Doctor in Geography and Professor at the Department of Geography of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain)

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Published

2016-12-13

Issue

Section

Articles