Communities on the southern slopes of Tunari National Park are leading one of the largest Andean forest restoration efforts in Bolivia: the planting of 225,000 native trees during the 2025–2026 season, a key action to safeguard the water sources that supply the Cochabamba metropolitan area. With this new cycle, the cumulative total has now surpassed one million established seedlings—a milestone reached over six years of continuous work to date—according to data reported by the Tunari Program.
Priority species include kewiña, kiswara, alder, lloque, jacaranda, molle, and jarka, all of which are critical for water regulation, Andean forest recovery, and the prevention of environmental disasters. This marked the sixth reforestation campaign led by Asociación Armonía through the Tunari Program, which began on December 5 with the planting of 23,000 seedlings in the communities of Potrero and San Miguel, in the municipality of Quillacollo.
“Community members are the heart of this work. When the rains arrive, they carry, plant, care for, and protect the seedlings, because they understand that forests regulate water and sustain agriculture. Our role is to accompany this process and ensure that each seedling has the best possible conditions to survive,” said Omar Oporto, Tunari Program Coordinator at Armonía.
For Ciprián López, a farmer from the community of Aguada, planting is not only about local benefits. “The water that originates up here flows down to the municipalities of Vinto and Quillacollo. That benefits everyone,” he said. His perspective aligns with technical evidence. Tunari National Park is critical for Cochabamba’s water security. According to the Park Management Plan prepared by the NGO Faunagua in 2016, 70% of the water supplying the metropolitan area originates on the park’s southern slope.
On December 10, Cochabamba marked the Departmental Day of Forest Plantations with a large-scale event in the municipality of Vinto. The communities of Aguada and K’aspi Cancha launched their reforestation activities with a seasonal target of 100,000 seedlings. The event included a commemorative ceremony that brought together more than 300 participants, including authorities, community members, and soldiers.
Ciprián López noted that plantation growth in his community has been gradual. They moved from planting 10,000 seedlings in 2023, to 50,000 last year, and planned to reach 70,000 this season. “We are excited when people come to visit and see how our work is growing. But our land is extensive, and we will continue planting. In about 20 years, we will have a native forest,” he said.
The gathering mobilized entire families, who organized tools, prepared communal meals, identified planting areas, and assessed weather conditions. “There is a lot to do. We prepared food for about 300 people, authorities are here, and our entire community is planting. Everyone has a role,” said Juan Carlos López, a community leader from Aguada.
From nurseries to the ground: the cycle behind each seedling
The seedlings now being planted in Tunari soils are the result of a process that begins nearly a year earlier. For eleven months, technicians and community members worked together to produce native species in nurseries. This was followed by a month of community preparation, after which planting activities were carried out over approximately two months.
During this reforestation season, production was concentrated in two nurseries located in the municipality of Tiquipaya. Armonía’s technical nursery produced approximately 160,000 native seedlings, while the 13 de Agosto community nursery contributed an additional 65,000. The latter is managed by community members from District 3 under a model that reinvests profits into local needs.
These seedlings were not only destined for Tiquipaya. They were also transported to the municipalities of Quillacollo, Vinto, and Sacaba, consolidating both nurseries as a restoration hub for the entire southern slope of Tunari National Park, Oporto explained. “Looking ahead, the goal is for community members to work autonomously and commercialize not only native species, but also fruit trees that can be used for household consumption and for sale. The idea is to transition toward an agroforestry nursery model.”
Implemented by Asociación Armonía, the Tunari Program marks six years of continuous work in Tunari National Park. Its integrated approach combines seedling production, reforestation, strengthening of fire brigades, construction of water reservoirs, environmental education, and plantation monitoring. These actions are supported by Acción Andina, the Flemish Fund for Tropical Forests (FFBT), BOS+, Trillion Trees, BirdLife International, and the Darwin Initiative.
Tunari Program team prior to the start of reforestation activities in the community of San Miguel, municipality of Quillacollo.
Text: Marizol Huarachi, Asociación Armonía