Paper short abstract:

Botanic species conservation is fundamental to think in conservation of earthen building techniques since they have a principal role as raw material. This article focusses on the relation between local community and state institutions sustainability criteria and the use of available sources.

Paper long abstract:

Earthen construction techniques have a high historic and contemporary relevance in the highland of Jujuy province, Argentina. This constructive culture involves a complex of practices and knowledge intrinsically linked with a whole local epistemology and community life. These technics included a very specialized use and central role of botanic species, not only for their structural role, but also for the way to choose, obtain, process, and use the sources. Moreover, plants have social functions inside the architecture. This paper seeks to focus on the importance of botanic species sustainability and discuss around the local and institutional criteria for conservation. We use an ethnobotanical approach, based on ethnographic methodology. Since there is not a dialogue between environmental control institutions and local communities, we notice the protectionist laws do not consider traditional inhabitant-natural sources relationship. Local communities have a special connection with Pachamama (mother earth) that strengthen a respectfully relationship with natural sources. Collection of materials is an ongoing task, with different practices related to sustainable use. However, modern life changes and marginality situation for local communities impacts on this logic of use and could result in overexploitation of the sources. The local institutions challenge is to guarantee a regulation and rational use of natural assets, taking account on local perspective and uses, and avoiding the creation of restrictive politics that affect other activities or social activities.