Conservation International Bolivia
Conservation International Bolivia is the Bolivia program of Conservation International, based in La Paz. The programme focuses on protected areas and conservation-linked livelihoods in the Bolivian Amazon, including work with government and Indigenous partners.
History
Conservation International’s programme in Bolivia was established in 1987.In 1987, Conservation International helped implement the first debt-for-nature swap. The agreement involved the purchase of US$650,000 of Bolivian debt for US$100,000, and made additional funding available for conservation in the Beni region, including the Beni Biosphere Reserve. The swap also supported the establishment of three additional reserves totalling about 1,497,000 hectares, with management support linked to the Bolivian government and the United States Agency for International Development.
In January 2024, the municipality of El Sena in Pando Department created the Área Natural de Manejo Integrado El Gran Manupare, establishing a protected area of 452,639 hectares. Conservation International Bolivia supported the process alongside municipal and local partners.
Activities by location
Conservation International Bolivia has worked on conservation initiatives in multiple parts of the Bolivian Amazon, including protected-area support, conservation-linked livelihoods and conservation-finance work.La Paz
Conservation International Bolivia is headquartered in La Paz. The programme works with government and Indigenous partners on protected areas and community livelihoods in the Bolivian Amazon.In the municipality of Ixiamas, the Área Municipal de Conservación y Manejo del Bajo Madidi was created on 29 May 2019, covering about 1,535,487 hectares ; the creation of the area received technical support from Conservation International. Conservation International Bolivia has also been linked to work in the Bajo Madidi area focused on supporting sustainable production and community livelihoods, including among Indigenous communities.
Beni
Work in the Beni region has been linked to the 1987 debt-for-nature swap, including funding associated with conservation activities related to the Beni Biosphere Reserve. The same swap supported the establishment of three additional reserves totalling about 1,497,000 hectares, alongside management support linked to the Bolivian government and the United States Agency for International Development.Pando
In Pando Department, the municipality of El Sena created the Área Natural de Manejo Integrado El Gran Manupare, covering 452,639 hectares. The reserve’s creation followed studies by entities including the Sena City Council, the Center for Research and Promotion of Campesinos and Conservation International Bolivia, with financial support from international organisations. Gran Manupare has been described as connecting with nearby conservation areas in northern Bolivia, including the Manuripi-Heath Amazonian Wildlife National Reserve and the Área Municipal de Conservación y Manejo del Bajo Madidi in Ixiamas.Gran Manupare supports forest-based livelihoods for local communities, including Brazil nut harvesting and açaí cultivation. Conservation International stated that the protected area safeguards about 9.2 million metric tons of irrecoverable carbon. The protected area has also faced pressures from illegal gold mining along the Madre de Dios River and concerns about potential logging, including of high-value timber species such as mahogany.