Protected areas are a proven strategy for safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem functions, such as water resource security, carbon capture, and climate change adaptation. In this regard, Conserva Aves in Bolivia issued a second call for proposals to initiate the process of declaration and expansion of new life territories as subnational protected areas.
Photo credit: Teodoro Camacho.
Palkachupa Cotinga or Phibalura boliviana, endangered bird. Restricted to semi-humid highland forest with patches of natural grasslands near the town of Apolo in northwestern Bolivia.
After evaluating the received proposals, and to expand the work Conserva Aves is already doing in the country with three projects covering over 305,000 hectares, the selection committee chose the following three proposals:
1. Creation and establishment of a subnational protected area for the conservation of the Red-fronted Macaw and other threatened birds.
2. Creation of a conservation area within the framework of the Indigenous Autonomous Territory.
3. Creation of the Subnational Protected Area “Serranía de Sunsás” – San Matías.
It is important to remember that Conserva Aves is a conservation initiative that aims to support the identification and creation of subnational protected areas (departmental, municipal, indigenous native peasant, private natural heritage reserves, among others). The initiative is a collaborative effort led by five organizations: American Bird Conservancy (ABC), National Audubon Society (Audubon), BirdLife International (BirdLife), Birds Canada, and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC).
Conserva Aves aims to protect areas of exceptional biodiversity value, promote climate resilience, sustainable development, and community well-being. The initiative benefits from the valuable financial support of the Bezos Earth Fund, which has been crucial for the implementation of its projects in Bolivia and the protection of the Tropical Andes.
In Bolivia, Conserva Aves is dedicated to protecting birds and biodiversity in life territories, with the strategic alliance between Asociación Civil Armonía and Fundación para el Desarrollo del Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (FUNDESNAP) being fundamental to the significant progress achieved. Both entities celebrate the collaboration that has harmonized ideas and criteria, working coordinately with technical and managerial teams towards a common goal.
The Three Selected Projects
Each year, more than 80 species of migratory birds visit Bolivia as part of their long journeys. Shorebirds, land birds, and waterbirds connect Bolivia with the rest of the continent and the world. Once in the country, migratory birds settle in numerous places in the Andean region and the lowlands from the Amazon in Pando to the Chaco in Tarija and Santa Cruz. The migration routes used by these birds connect different ecosystems, sites, and the people living in them. Often, these long-distance flight routes cross inhospitable terrains, such as deserts and open seas. Therefore, conserving this network of habitats and ecosystems along their routes is crucial for the survival of these species.
To this end, and given the country’s great potential, a second call was launched, culminating in the selection of the following projects:
1. Creation and establishment of a subnational protected area for the conservation of the Red-fronted Macaw and other threatened birds.
The project is being implemented by the Center for Theoretical and Applied Biology Studies (Biota) and is located within one of the Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA or IBAs BO008) in the Río Caine basin in the Department of Potosí, adjacent to the jurisdiction of the Torotoro National Park. The emerging subnational protected area is home to eight bird species classified under some threat category. Among them are five species endemic to Bolivia: Ara rubrogenys, Tarphonomus harterti, Oreopsar bolivianus, Diglossa carbonaria, and Poospiza garleppi, and a subspecies Myiopsitta monachus luchsi (Velásquez Noriega, Gómez, and Calahuma, 2019).
2. Creation of a conservation area within the framework of the Indigenous Autonomous Territory.
The project is being implemented by ORE, a non-governmental organization providing legal and social support, and is located in the Indigenous Autonomous Territory (TIM), in the Department of Beni, Moxos province. Notably, 77.4% of the TIM is within the Ramsar site “Rio Matos.” This wetland comprises recent alluvial soil plains, relatively fertile and mainly flooded by the overflows of the Beni, Mamoré, and their tributaries (MMAyA 2017). The proposed territory harbors high biological diversity, including an estimated 490 bird species, among which migratory birds use wetlands, flooded grasslands, rivers, lakes, and lagoons as key feeding, nesting, and resting areas.
3. Creation of the Subnational Protected Area “Serranía de Sunsás” – San Matías.
The project will be implemented by the Center for Rural and International Agriculture Studies (CERAÍ) and is located in the Municipality of San Matías, Department of Santa Cruz, adjacent to the jurisdiction of the Integrated Management Natural Area (ANMI) San Matías. The emerging municipal protected area harbors vital water sources for the communities living in ANMI San Matías and the populations of Roboré and El Carmen Rivero, being also the habitat of a wide variety of birds, including threatened, endemic, and migratory species.
Importance of Protected Areas
Protected areas are an effective strategy for conservation, climate change mitigation, and adaptation, ensuring a significant return on investment in their protection. Proper management of these areas allows integrating scientific research, long-term conservation of ecosystems, biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and cultural values. Additionally, it promotes environmental awareness and education, tourism, and recreation, among other benefits.
Conserva Aves continues to promote the active participation of civil, community, public, and private actors to work together in the sustainable management of the new subnational protected areas. Creating these conservation projects not only protects vulnerable species but also maintains healthy ecosystems.
With the commitment and participation of all sectors, Bolivia is advancing towards the protection of its natural treasures and the well-being of its inhabitants.