In many countries, the establishment of large protected areas of wilderness is typically driven by executive government action. However, in Bolivia, credit for the creation of a vast expanse of protected forest must be attributed to the ordinary citizens of the country.
In the municipality of Sena, with a population of 2,500, a groundbreaking law was recently enacted to safeguard 452,639 hectares – 1.1 million acres – of Amazon rainforest. Dubbed the Gran Manupare Integrated Management Natural Area, this legislation was crafted and implemented for the benefit of “peasants and indigenous communities,” according to a statement from the mayor’s office.
Situated in the Pando Department, in the far northern corner of Bolivia, this newly protected area encompasses almost 8% of the region’s forests, significantly boosting conservation coverage to 26%. The area’s rich biodiversity is underscored by the presence of endangered species such as the giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) and the big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Moreover, the area boasts healthy populations of mammals including jaguars, white-lipped peccaries, and lowland tapirs, as well as vulnerable species like the blue-headed macaw (Primolius couloni) and the giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus).
Beyond its ecological importance, the forest is estimated to sequester 9.2 millions tons of irrecoverable carbon.
The prominent NGO Conservation International played a pivotal role in this project, emphasizing in a statement that the Pando Department harbors the largest proportion of well-preserved Amazonian forest in Bolivia.
Over the past quarter-century, Bolivian towns like Sena have collectively safeguarded 10 million contiguous hectares (25 million acres) of the country’s Amazon – an area nearly equivalent in size to Iceland – partly by assembling it piece by piece, akin to mosaic.
Eduardo Forno, vice president of Conservation International-Bolivia, stated, “It’s an incredible conservation story that began in the 1990s with the creation of the Madidi National Park and has continued over the years.”
“It’s a combination of having a clear objective and consistently seeking opportunities to add new pieces to the puzzle. Protected and conserved areas remain one of the most important tools for conservation, with enormous potential to guard against loss of wildlife and stave off the worst consequences of climate change.”
Forno explains that Bolivia has grappled with some of the highest rates of deforestation globally on a per capita basis. The Pando Department, boasting an average forest cover of 90% surpasses the national average of 44%, owing to its location at some of the lowest elevations within Bolivia.
Integral to the narrative of the Gran Manupare area is the Brazil nut, predominantly cultivated in Bolivia, which forms a significant part of the local livelihoods. Given the economic utilization of intact rainforests, Conservation International collaborated with the municipality of Sena to explore the potential of establishing a large protected area to safeguard these livelihoods.
Presently, Gran Manupare and Pando exemplify a scenario where sustainability harvested forests have effectively linked millions of acres into a “conservation mosaic.” This landscape includes lands owned by indigenous communities, areas managed for Brazil nuts, regions protected for watersheds, and territories dedicated to safeguarding endangered species.
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