IS TRADITIONAL PASTORALISM THE CAUSE OF EROSIVE PROCESSES IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS - THE CASE OF THE CUMBRES CALCHAQUIES IN ARGENTINA

A study was carried out to determine forage availability, grazing routines and densities, and impact of grazing in two catchments occupied by forests and grasslands between 2,000 and 3,500 m at Cumbres Calchaquies in the province of Tucuman, a mountain region of northwest Argentina. The herders' strategy consists of spatial and temporal dispersions that take advantage of the heterogeneous and seasonal distribution of fodder resources. Yet this system does not prevent the concentration of herds in a few places where especially good grazing is available. In these locations the erosive processes are closely associated with grazing, whereas elsewhere the eroded surfaces appear to be a consequence of natural processes. Erosion caused by grazing and the impact on nearby low-lying areas is discussed. Traditional pastoralism should be viewed in a historical, economic, and socio-cultural context, and peasant communities should be involved in the decision-making process.