Perceptions of the ecosystem services in Frontino-Urrao páramo complex, Department of Antioquia, Colombia

This paper shows results of an investigation in Frontino-Urrao páramo. We focus on the perceptions of the páramo ecosystem services of the actors with influence in their use and management. We identified the water, logging and mining as critical services often related to the existence of conflicts between actors. These conflicts are generated by conflicting conceptions and actions on the management, exploitation, control and ownership of natural resources. The conflicting interests of exploitation-usufruct by residents and owners on the one hand, and the other one, the interest in conservation by state institutions and environmental groups and others, is supported by the opposition between conceptions and speeches either on a whimsical and abundant nature, or on ephemeral nature. We conclude that in the case study, the socio-economic problems are compounded when institutional presence is lack by state authorities and resource management companies, when lack of coordination among state institutions to intervene in the management, control resources, or when exist superposition of economic interests at different scale levels on the páramo complex.