In the year 2005, thanks to the support of the International Development Research Center (IDRC) and the Canada Research Chair in Community-based Resource Management, I carried out field research
to identify and analyze the primary features of community-based
resource management in the promotion of environmental conservation and rural development. During a three month period I conducted social research on the community-based forestry enterprise of San Juan in
Michoacan, Mexico. Through more than 100 interviews with persons from the enterprise and partner agencies and organizations, I collected data on the various aspects giving life to the initiative,
on the linkages that made possible its development and consolidation and on the drivers affecting its performance. This field data allowed
for the analysis of important aspects on the beginnings, management trends and evolution of the communal appropriation of resources, and the
repercussions these aspects have had on the survival and performance of the communal system.
Here you can find a copy of the thesis developed based on the research carried out in San
Juan. It was developed as part of the requirements of a Masters in Natural Resource Management of the Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, Canada. Similarly you can find
here papers where various aspects of social
entrepreneurship are explored, including primary characteristics allowing the development and consolidation of social
enterprises and the role played by linkages across different levels in the establishment of community initiatives.
In 2001 the University of the Guajira signed an agreement with
the Department of Health of the Guajira to "Diagnose the
sanitation situation in each of the 15 municipalities of the
Department". In order to fulfill this task, I was
selected together with the Engineer Yorkelys Martínez Hincapié to
to carry out the Assessment
of the State of Sanitation Five Municipal Capitals of Riohacha, Albania,
Uribia, El Molino and Urumita. Our work
consisted initially in taking field data in each of the five municipalities about the solid domestic and hospital waste
management, the water and sewage systems and the state of abattoirs.
In addition, we carried out public surveys and had a close contact
with the public authorities in charge of these sanitation systems to
ask for technical information and to know clearly the management
systems in place. The second stage included the analysis and organization of the
data collected and documentation of the assessment. The
assessment of the components of the various systems, the sanitation
needs mentioned and the priority actions suggested, were all based
on the norms authorized in Regulations for Potable Water and
Basic Sanitation (RAS 2000). This
diagnosis also included the identification of the main impacts of
the systems in urban and suburban areas.
This research work also served as the thesis research in my
Environmental Engineering program.
Summary of past contracts