Bolivia indigenous communities and local governments safeguard nearly one million hectares in major conservation victory

Bolivia has achieved a significant conservation milestone by establishing nearly one million hectares of new protected areas across the Amazon lowlands and Andean highlands. The four newly designated areas, covering 907,244 hectares (2.2 million acres), represent a groundbreaking collaboration between Indigenous communities and local governments to create vital ecological corridors connecting traditional territories with existing national parks.

This community-led initiative goes beyond simple land protection—it’s designed to facilitate wildlife migration while preserving forest-based livelihoods for local families. The effort demonstrates remarkable local commitment, with many municipalities now protecting more than half their territories. “This shows how local leadership can deliver durable conservation that strengthens communities and outlasts political cycles,” said Eduardo Forno, vice president of Conservation International-Bolivia, which supported the projects alongside the Andes Amazon Fund, Rainforest Trust, and international partners including the Swedish Embassy and EU.

The conservation success comes at a critical time for Bolivia, which faces severe deforestation pressures from agribusiness, cattle ranching, and wildfires. The country lost a staggering 1.8 million hectares in 2025 alone, ranking among the world’s highest deforestation rates according to Global Forest Watch. While Bolivia expanded its nationally protected areas in the early 2000s, such efforts had largely stalled until this recent surge in local-level conservation action.

This Indigenous-led approach offers a promising model for balancing environmental protection with community needs, potentially serving as a blueprint for other regions facing similar conservation challenges.