Cover Photo: Some of the participants who attended the presentation of KBAs in Bolivia.
In Bolivia, the map of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) has been significantly updated and expanded from 65 to around 100, in an effort to preserve the biological richness and natural heritage of Bolivians. This result was announced during the KBA sites presentation event in the country, marking a milestone in Bolivian nature conservation initiatives that brings us closer to achieving the 30×30 Target. The event took place on March 27th in the gardens of the British Embassy Residence.
Since the project’s inception in April 2022, over 60,000 data points on Bolivia’s most vulnerable biodiversity have been collected across all taxonomic groups. These data have allowed the identification of around 100 sites that could be designated as globally important KBAs, serving as a fundamental tool in the conservation and effective management of biodiversity at the national level.
The proposal for new KBA sites in Bolivia is currently undergoing a double verification process of information in the global KBA database. Once the areas are approved, they will be published on the KBA website, according to Zoltan Waliczky, global KBA coordinator. “We are developing a platform to monitor the status of these sites in the future, their threats, populations, and the distribution of the ecosystems they harbor. And finally, we have to communicate the project results; where the KBAs are located is very relevant information for decision-making,” said Waliczky, a Hungarian-British national who has lived in Ecuador for 14 years.
Photo: Zoltan Waliczky, global coordinator of KBA, presenting the work carried out in seven countries internationally.
The event was attended by Mr. Omar Osco, Director General of Biodiversity and Protected Areas of the Ministry of Environment and Water, who reported that work is currently underway to build a new National System of Protected Areas, as the current one has become “technically obsolete” and does not respond to Bolivia’s new realities. “This documentation will complement the entire process we are working on. (…) Truly, all these efforts will help us implement new policies that will allow us to achieve the goal we all have: to conserve our biodiversity and care for the environment,” asserted the national authority.
Photo: Rodrigo Soria, executive director of Asociación Armonía, Omar Osco, Director General of Biodiversity of Protected Areas of the Ministry of Environment and Water, Zoltan Waliczky, global coordinator of KBA, Anna Sophia Doyle, in charge of Environment and Climate Policy, and Diego Peñaranda, KBA Program Coordinator of Asociación Armonía. (Left to right)
The update of KBAs in Bolivia not only involves the identification and incorporation of new sites but also the review, merger, and adaptation of pre-existing KBAs in the country. This meticulous work has been possible thanks to the collaboration of more than 20 leading biodiversity organizations and over 150 distinguished experts in flora and fauna, who have joined forces in this groundbreaking project.
Biologist Alfredo Fuentes, who contributed to this update based on his extensive experience in Bolivia’s threatened flora, pointed out that land use change is compromising biodiversity in Madidi, one of the world’s most diverse places, housing a high percentage of entirely Bolivian flora. According to Fuentes, this issue is recurrent in various areas of the country, as he has noted in conversations with other specialists. The researcher emphasized that, despite the complex and delicate reality facing biodiversity, there are alternatives for its conservation. “Once again, I want to express our interest in this initiative continuing and us continuing to complement the information to support the conservation and well-being of all Bolivians,” said the plant expert.
Photo: Biologist Alfredo Fuentes explains the importance of Andersson’s Quinine for its healing properties.
During the event, Daniel Larrea, coordinator of Science and Technology for Amazon Conservation (ACEAA), also highlighted three fundamental themes to advance effective nature conservation. First, he emphasized the importance of having consolidated scientific-technical information and its access through processes and standards that facilitate sharing. Second, he stressed the need to have trained human resources, specialists, and researchers in various subjects, as well as to continue training taxonomic experts. Finally, he mentioned the relevance of multi-actor collaboration platforms to achieve objectives. “In that sense, the role that the authority will play in rescuing all this process that has occurred is important. This platform, this group of institutions that has been articulated to once again highlight the importance of biodiversity through KBAs, will be fundamental,” asserted Larrea.
Photo: Daniel Larrea from Amazon Conservation (ACEAA) explains the history of processes developed in Bolivian territory.
“This project, which brings together NGOs, universities, museums, and leading herbaria in the country, represents an unprecedented step towards safeguarding the unique and rich biological diversity that characterizes Bolivia. The collaboration between these organizations and experts from various fields underscores the urgent need for coordinated action to preserve the country’s valuable natural resources,” reported Rodrigo Soria, executive director of Asociación Armonía.
Bolivia, Among the 20 Most Biodiverse Countries in the World
Bolivia, being in a privileged geographical position, boasts a wide range of ecosystems and ecological regions in its territory, including mountains, the altiplano, the Amazon, inter-Andean valleys, the Chaco, and the Chiquitanía. This natural richness places the country among the 20 most biodiverse in the world, with 5,896 species of flora, fauna, invertebrates, and fungi, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
However, this unique biodiversity faces multiple threats, with 63 species classified as critically endangered, 145 as endangered, and 270 as vulnerable, according to IUCN data. “In other words, 1 out of every 10 known species of flora and fauna in Bolivia faces the possibility of extinction to some extent,” indicates Diego Peñaranda, KBA Program Coordinator of Asociación Armonía.
Photo: Diego Peñaranda, KBA Program Coordinator of Asociación Armonía, reports the results of KBAs in Bolivia. Bernardeth Loayza.
The main objective of this initiative is to protect and conserve threatened or restricted distribution species and ecosystems in Bolivia. By effectively safeguarding the KBAs, the country will be closer to meeting the commitments established in the Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed upon at the United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity (COP15) held at the end of 2022 in Canada.
Since biodiversity represents the fundamental basis of ecosystem services or environmental functions, the conservation and effective management of KBA sites in Bolivia become crucial to ensure a sustainable future for all Bolivians. “These environmental functions encompass all the benefits we obtain from nature for our own development, such as climate regulation, obtaining food and raw materials, preventing emerging diseases, the potential to discover new medicines or resources, recreation, and the development of cultures, among other crucial aspects that shape human well-being,” Peñaranda pointed out.
Additionally, biodiversity plays a fundamental role in food security by protecting soil fertility, promoting crop pollination, safeguarding watersheds, and reducing the risk of natural disasters. Therefore, it is evident that our subsistence and quality of life depend intrinsically on biodiversity conservation, the latter being an indispensable requirement to ensure a sustainable future.
For the full event, you can visit the following link: https://www.facebook.com/armoniabolivia/videos/336604868923452
More Information
The same program is being implemented in three other South American countries and three located in the Congo River Basin. In Bolivia, it is implemented by Asociación Armonía, in coordination with Birdlife International, and funded by the Bezos Earth Fund.
In total, over 600 experts from various taxonomic groups, including plants, mammals, birds, and others, have been involved in the seven countries.
Text and photos: Margarita Palacios, Armonía