Cover photo: Community members and Armonía’s staf after receiving money raised from tourism.
The community members of San Carlos, Perereta, and Amaya, responsible for the management of the Red-fronted Macaw Community Natural Reserve, received over 169,450 Bolivianos (24,346 U.S. dollars) from the revenue generated by birdwatching tourism in 2023. This reserve, located in the Omereque municipality of Cochabamba department, plays a crucial role in protecting the Red-fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys), hosting the largest breeding colony of this endemic species in Bolivia, classified as critically endangered.
Since the inception of tourism activities in the Red-fronted Macaw Reserve in 2006, the goal has been not only to strengthen the coexistence between communities and their natural environment, including the Red-fronted Macaw, but also to improve family incomes through tourism.
The money derived from tourism services is divided equally into four parts: one part supports the conservation of the Red-fronted Macaw and the sustainability of the Reserve, while the other three parts are allocated to support the communities in the Omereque municipality. According to established bylaws, these funds are used to finance educational, health, and welfare projects in the communities responsible for managing the site.
From 2011 to 2015, revenues from birdwatching tourism in the Red-fronted Macaw Community Reserve steadily increased. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact in 2020, with a 78% drop in revenue. However, the recovery was notable. In 2021, 2022, and 2023, there was accelerated and significant growth, marking a notable post-pandemic recovery.
“In 2023, revenues continued to increase, reflecting growth in demand for the Reserve as a destination for birdwatching tourism in Bolivia. This significant increase in revenue underscores resilience during the pandemic, which severely impacted the global tourism industry,” said Iván Pérez, administrative director of Asociación Armonía during the profit reception meeting held in late March 2024. Wilfredo Vargas Garcia, president of the Administrative Committee of the Red-fronted Macaw Reserve and native of Perereta; Macario Guzmán Lopez, treasurer of the Amaya community committee; and Lisberth Rocha Rojas, leader of San Carlos, participated in the event.
Photo: Iván Perez, administrative director of Armonía, informs community members about other projects the association is working on.
Due to the fact that the enterprise had greater benefits and opportunities for the communities, the Committee decided to allocate higher percentages than established to continue improving infrastructure and conditions for receiving tourists.
In 2023, the Reserve received a total of 106 tourists, the majority from the United States (24) and Bolivia (24), followed by Canada (9), the United Kingdom (8), and Australia (6). “It is important to note that every year there is growing interest from the Bolivian public,” Perez reported. To encourage the visit of local tourists, campaigns have been launched targeting residents in Bolivia, such as the promotion running from February to July 2024 offering discounts of up to 50%.
Photo: Handing over of profits to representatives of the communities of San Carlos, Perereta, Amaya, and the Treasurer of the Administration Committee of the Red-fronted Macaw Reserve.
The Reserve, covering 50 hectares, not only hosts the breeding habitat of the Red-fronted Macaw but also serves as a refuge for another 232 bird species, such as the Bolivian Blackbird (Oreopsar bolivianus) and the Cliff Parakeet (Myiopsitta luchsi), which are endemic to Bolivia. Additionally, the Reserve regularly receives visits from Andean Condors and Peregrine Falcons.
Photo: Guido Saldaña, coordinator of the Red-fronted Macaw Program; Simón Simón Pedrazas, park ranger of the Reserve; and Teodoro Camacho, researcher from Armonía, during a monitoring session of Red-fronted Macaw nests on one of the cliffs of the Reserve.
For Simón Pedrazas, park ranger of the Reserve, protection is not limited solely to the Red-fronted Macaw but encompasses all the birds that inhabit the area. “For the tourists who visit us, each of these little birds is of great importance. It is thanks to them that we have achieved this economic increase,” Pedrazas assures.
Photo: Filemón Soto Gomez, during a visit to his papaya plantations in the municipality of Omereque.
Filemón Soto Gomez, who served on the Administrative Committee of the Reserve from 2000 until late 2023, reported that with the profits, equipment was purchased for the school, including a speaker and shelves, in addition to building a kitchen. “All of this thanks to the Red-fronted Macaw and the other birds, which is why in our community, bird hunting is prohibited and we have regulations, such as the restriction that children do not handle arrows,” indicates the former authority.
Wilfredo Vargas García assumed the presidency of the Committee just a couple of months ago. He expresses his gratitude to the members of the previous management for their work in the construction and improvement of infrastructures, as well as for promoting environmental awareness. He is fully convinced that the work of this new Committee will benefit the entire community, especially the youth, who will be favored in the future with birdwatching tourism and will continue to progress.
Perez emphasizes that the development of skills and the necessary preparation to manage a tourism enterprise require years of training. That is why Armonía supports the decisions of the Committee, who requested a greater emphasis on training related to administrative aspects, fund management, and preparation of reports on resource use. Additionally, the training of more people in areas such as cooking, cleaning, and tourist service will be promoted. Likewise, courses in English have been scheduled, as well as activities for bird identification and the promotion of biodiversity in the region.
Photo: Two Red-fronted Macaws rest in a tree in the Red-fronted Macaw Community Natural Reserve. Ernst Udo Drawert.
More Information
- In 2021, Asociación Armonía conducted a census in which they identified around 160 nests of the Red-fronted Macaw throughout its distribution in Bolivia. This endemic species is found only in four watersheds of the inter-Andean valleys of the country: Caine, Mizque, Río Grande, and Pilcomayo. It is estimated that the population is approximately 1,200 individuals.
- The El Palmar Protected Area harbors an impressive biodiversity of flora and fauna, which includes the Red-fronted Macaw, which usually nests on rocky cliffs, but in El Palmar it does so exclusively on palm tree trunks. In this location, Armonía has installed 50 nest boxes on the trunks of Janchicoco palm trees to support the reproduction of the Red-fronted Macaw. This initiative aims to increase the availability of nesting sites for this species.
- In early 2024, Asociación Armonía inaugurated new tourist circuits in the communities of Matanseria – Jala Jala and Julo Grande, located in the municipality of Toro Toro, Potosí. The objective is to offer visitors the opportunity to observe the Red-fronted Macaw and other bird species of the Inter-Andean Dry Valley. For this reason, local guides and park rangers from Toro Toro were trained in theoretical and practical aspects of birdwatching.
Text and photos: Margarita Palacios, Armonía