Abstract Ever since colonial times, the rural inhabitants of Guinea-Bissau have been blamed for lighting uncontrolled fires all over the country. Based on in-depth ethnographic research in two regions, a country-level rapid rural appraisal, and analysis of satellite active fire data, this essay shows how burning practices are, however, diversified according to cultural, socio-economic, demographic and agro-ecological conditions, and how they have been changing recently as a locally-developed adaptation to new farming systems. Many new bush-fire uses correspond to current best practices (e.g., use of firebreaks, backfiring, burning at cooler hours of the day), but under a scenario of changing climate and land uses there is room for improving fire management to reduce negative environmental impacts, while preserving cultural, economic and biodiversity benefits generated by some traditional burning practices. The design of public policies for reducing material damages, biodiversity loss, and carbon emissions from fires requires an understanding of their local drivers. Following from that, the development of ecological management practices must engage with farmers’ knowledge and networks/institutions and meet their priorities and needs.

中文翻译：

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几内亚比绍的生物文化火区：结合社会研究和卫星遥感的分析

摘要 自殖民时代以来，几内亚比绍的农村居民就被指责在全国各地肆意肆意纵火。基于对两个地区的深入人种学研究、国家级农村快速评估和卫星活跃火灾数据分析，本文展示了燃烧实践如何根据文化、社会经济、人口和农业而多样化。生态条件，以及它们最近如何随着当地发展对新农业系统的适应而发生变化。许多新的丛林火灾用途符合当前的最佳做法（例如，使用防火带、回火、在一天中较冷的时间燃烧），但在气候和土地用途不断变化的情况下，仍有改进火灾管理以减少负面环境的空间在保护文化的同时，一些传统燃烧做法产生的经济和生物多样性利益。旨在减少火灾造成的物质损害、生物多样性丧失和碳排放的公共政策的设计需要了解当地的驱动因素。此后，生态管理实践的发展必须与农民的知识和网络/机构接触，并满足他们的优先事项和需求。