Demographics

The average age of the interviewees was 42.14 years, with a minimum of 19 and a maximum of 70 years; 82.14% were men and 17.86% were women. More than a quarter (26.79%) had an age between 35 and 44 years old in both men (26.09%) and women (30%). 80.36% were under 55 years of age; that is, they were still in full productive activity. As for literacy, all men could read and write, and women only 7 of the 10 interviews could do it, although the 10 people interviewed had the opportunity to study until the second or third grade of elementary school, some of them forgot literacy probably due to lack of practice, so that 94.64% of the interviewees could read and write. The average schooling level was 7.61 years; that is, incomplete junior high school.

Regarding marital status, 82.1% lived with their partner and 17.9% had no partner. Of those who lived in pairs were dominated by men and without partners, by women. As for the men who lived as a couple, married (63%) and free union (30.4%); in terms of women, single mothers stood out (60%). The number of people in the households of the interviewed families was 4.73 people on average and the ones that were still economically dependent on the head of families was 3.54 members.

Family survival strategies

The families of the Pensamiento Liberal Mexicano Community use as survival strategy a combination of income-generating activities such as agriculture (89.3%), livestock (85.7%), use of timber forest products (100%) and PFNM (80.4%), and other off-farm activities combined with public subsidies.

57.1% of the families had irrigation plots and 44.6%, of rainfed, the sum of both did not coincide with one hundred percent because there were families that had both irrigation and rainfed plots. The families had 2.66 ha on average to carry out their agricultural activities. The average surface area of irrigation was 2.59 ha and of temporal, 3.19 ha. Agriculture is slash and burn (RTQ) and they also use animal traction for soil breakage. In the spring -summer 2015 cycle highlighted the planting of maize (Zea mays L.), beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), zucchini (Cucurbita sp.) and chilacayota (Cucurbita ficifolia), in the cultural practices of each crop families still use rudimentary farm implements. Families are aware of the importance of the care of the forest because they consider it not only a source of timber and non-timber forest resources, but also as an important source of water currents that allow them to irrigate their agricultural parcels. That is why they care for the forest and the streams.

In the specific case of maize, the survey indicated that the production of this basic grain during the agricultural cycle in question was insufficient for 80.4% of the families, a situation that led to deficient producers to buy maize or through the exchange of other products (barter). In this deficit situation, families supplemented their protein diet with various PFNM obtained from forest harvesting and the hunting of wild animals (^{Chandrasekharan, 1996}; ^{López et al., 2005}); since PFNM are marketed or exchanged for other products indispensable for the home.

The breeding and fattening of cattle is an activity that is carried out with the aim of having food sources of protein of animal origin, in addition to using the animals as means of transport and load and in the times of culture they rely on its traction force for the trawling of agricultural implements and, very frequently, the livestock species also fulfill the saving function of which the families make use when there is an urgency of money. Regarding the type of livestock species they had the most the people of the Pensamiento Liberal Mexicano community in the 2015 year were hens (n= 38) with an average of 11.6 birds.

Use of PFNM

PFNM have always played a very important role in the survival strategy of the families of Pensamiento Liberal Mexicano community; nevertheless, until 1999 its use was free and for any of the inhabitants of the community and even for people of other communities. During the period in which the forests were concessioned and even later, the use of forest resources put them at risk. In 1999, community authority and community members formed the Community Forestry Monitoring Committee, which began to regulate the use of forest resources.

In 2008, the communal authority, with the support of a civil association, began the elaboration of the community statute which in 2010 was sanctioned and approved by the Community Assembly as the highest authority. The statute established the rules of what ^{Merino and Martínez (2014)} called the governance of forest resources, which allowed an end to the deterioration of the forest. At present, all extractive activities of timber and non-timber resources are monitored and regulated. In case the community members or outsiders make extractions without permission, they are sanctioned. The statute meets several of the regulatory mechanism of common use resources identified by ^{Ostrom (2011)} which identifies eight regulatory mechanisms of the RUC which are as follows: 1) well -defined limits; 2) proportional distribution of benefits and costs; 3) collective choice agreements; 4) monitoring; 5) graduated sanctions; 6) conflict resolution mechanisms; and 7) minimum recognition of rights.

The research found that 80.4% of the families interviewed realized the use of PFNM in 2015. The families collected several useful forest products from the forest, medicinal, and ornamental. Among the products highlighted were edible fungi (86.7%) locally known as “nanacates” including yellow fungus (Cantharellus cibarius ), deer (Ramaria sp.), Red (Amanita caesarea) and ocote (Pleurotus drynus). The fungi grow in the rainy season so they were collected between the months of April and September. In the collection of fungi, women, girls and children frequently participate (Figure 2).

Figure 2 Red fungus (Amarnita caesarea) (upper) and deer fungus (Ramaria sp.) (Bottom). 

Peasants have extensive knowledge about the medicinal efficacy of some plants growing in the forest. Harvesting of this type of plants ranked second (66.7%) after edible fungi. Among the medicinal plants of importance in the community is the root of “itamorreal” (Potentilla aff, staminea Rydb.) that families use as cicatrization products in “cuts” and wounds by washing the affected part with the infusion obtained from that root; in addition, the infusion when taken helps to heal throat affections. Its collection takes place between June and October.

The “poleo” (Satureja macrostema) is another plant that has medicinal properties that is collected between April and December. Families use infusions of the foliage and stem for the treatment of colds; and in their flowering stage it is used in ceremonial rituals of the community. Among other medicinal plants that families gather in the forest are the “estafiate” (Artemisia ludoviciana), the “bougainvillea”(Bougainvillea glabra), the “melissa” (Melissa officinalis) and “mullein” (Verbascum thapsus). The infusions of these plants are used in the treatment and prevention of problems related to the respiratory tract and different discomforts of the body caused by the cold and the humidity of the environment. The infusion of the “Arnica” (Heterotheca inuliodes) plant is used to reduce inflammation and to prevent bruising in accidents like twisted ankles or wrists.

Families in the region take infusions of “master grass” (Artemisia absinthium) as dewormer. The “elderberry” (Sambucus ebulus) is used by families in the preparation of baths that help the treatment of skin conditions like hives and “close pores” of women after childbirth.

Another group of products harvested from the forest are the condiments (8%). In this product group are watercress (Nasturtium officinale) located on the banks of streams and swamps that families use as fitting salads. In this group there is also the gusanito de chamizo or “gold worm” (Scyphophorus acupunctatus) which is a larva used to prepare salsas for the food from local families, or dried and ground and then mixed with salt and chile powder called “worm salt” which is often used as a fruit condiment and in beverages such as mezcal (Figure 3). Another condiment product families for use in preparing tamal is the “chepil” (Crotalaria longirostrata), which gives a special flavor to the palate and is appreciated for families in the region.

Figure 3 Gusanito de chamizo or “golden worm” (Scyphophorus acupunctatus 

The laurel (Laurus nobilis), rosita (Hyeronima alchorneoides) and other brightly colored flowers are among the ornate flowers (6.7%) that are collected from the forest for sale and for decorating the homes of local families (Figure 4).

Figure 4 Ornate flowers collected in the forest. 

No less important are the rajas de ocote (4.4%) than for the resin contained in the ocote tree (Pinus sp.) serves as fuel for lighting and turn on the stoves. Another important product is the “tierra de monte” (2.2%), which, due to its smoke and nutrient content, is used by families in the preparation of substrates for the planting of different vegetables and ornamental plants in backyards.

Another group of PFNM are game animals (17.8%) like rabbits (Oryctolagus sp.), squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris), armadillo (Dasypodidae), tlacuaches (Didelphimorphia), skunks (Mephitidae) and deers (Odocoileus virginianus) the consumption of their meat provide protein to the diet of families. The practice of hunting and catching animals in the forest are activities that are widely disseminated among the inhabitants of the community (Figura 5).

Figure 5 Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). 

The hunt is not only to obtain meat, but also in those animals like coyotes (Canis latrans) attacking goats (Capra sp.) and sheep (Ovis sp.). Sparrow hawks (Accipiter nisus) attack poultry placing the safety of their livestock species at risk. In this regard, a key informant said that “when someone hunt a hawk the hunter takes the prey and exhibits it in the community when walking through the streets and when families see this, they pay the hunter with hen’s eggs, chicks and even chickens, because for families to hunt a hawk decreases the risk of losing their poultry by the rapture of the hawk that lives in the forest”, some animals are also hunted because they damage agricultural crops such as squirrels, raccoons, tlacuaches, the foxes (that attack the cobs). Other animals are hunted not only for the value of their meat but also for their skins which are traded in local markets as in the case of armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), snakes (Colubridae) and deer.

In the forest there are different faunal species of value for the families of the community and that is why they respect wildlife, and as these species are scattered throughout the forest it is difficult to maintain their monitoring for their conservation. In response to this situation, agreements and standards have been established in the community assembly that encourage respect for wildlife; that families are only allowed to kill them when they cause damage to livestock or crops. In the case of deer, hunting is permitted only if written permission is obtained from the Organizing Committee and the Monitoring Committee (Community Statute, Article 83, section I and II). Deer hunting permits are granted only for the period from October to January (four months) and such permits have the restriction that hunters respect the offspring and the number of prey to hunt.

One of the characteristics of deer hunting is that this activity is carried out in groups of four or five people that when hunting the prey is distributed among the group of hunters, taking into account whether or not they carried weapons and bullets, if they participated in the “aventada” or searching for the animal, if they collaborated in the “atajada” (the interception of the deer), or who of the group made the hunting of the deer. All these criteria are considered to determine which portion of meat corresponds to each of the members of the group participating in the hunt, as well as the by-products obtained: antlers, skin and legs.

Harvesting PFNM and game animals is not seen by villagers for purposes of earning income through their sale in local markets, however, families do manage to raise revenue from harvesting or hunting seasonally. PFNM have economic value for local families, as they are a source of food, fuel, plants with medicinal properties and condiments and ornamental flowers for homes. That is, they are of great importance for the rural communities as indicated by ^{Gerez and Purata (2008)}; however, the value of these resources represented only 1.65% of the total income of the production unit (Table 1).

In the legal and organizational field of the Pensamiento Liberal Mexicano community about the collection of PFNM, the community statute establishes that the collection of these products is allowed as long as the use does not endanger the various species or their habitat; nor foment the invasion and/or destruction of foreign lands where any of these products could be found. Shared norms that reduce the cost of supervising and sanctioning activities can be considered as usable social capital in resolving common resource problems (^{Ostrom, 2011}).