Amazonian Paradise Gets the Protection It Deserves

Bolivia has taken a significant step toward conservation by establishing a vast protected area in the Amazon, securing half a million hectares of vital forests while supporting local communities and biodiversity.

The Bosque Escondido de Ingavi municipal conservation area covers 458,155 hectares or 84.5% of Ingavi’s municipal territory and is the largest subnational protected area in Pando, a Bolivian department known for the immense amount of standing forest.

Within its limits, there are terra firma forests – tropical forests that don’t get seasonally flooded – and flood forests, and essential rivers like Orthon, Manu, Abuná, and Río Negro, all playing a vital role in the region’s water cycle and ecological balance. It is worth mentioning that 73% of amphibian species, 98% of reptiles, 90% of birds, and 80% of mammals found in Ingavi will be conserved. According to the National Institute of Agrarian Reform of Bolivia, 15 legally titled rural communities and three private properties – including an Indigenous one – have been identified with the municipal conservation area for potential collaboration, which could generate a stable income and growth. The municipal conservation area protects açai fruits, mingucha, royal palm, moriche, and Brazil nuts – 300 families depend on collecting the latter – and generates economic income for its inhabitants.