In recent years agricultural burns in Bolivia have escaped control, in some cases causing fires in protected woodlands. (Photo courtesy of Abolac)
For years, Bolivia’s 22 protected areas have been besieged by illegal deforestation, squatting, government-approved mine and energy projects and fires set by encroaching farm operations. Last year Bolivia registered the second-highest deforestation rate behind Brazil in the Andes Amazon region, which also includes Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Government approval of some 220 development projects in Bolivia’s protected areas were reported last year alone, according to the country’s National Protected Areas Service (Sernap). Though these included education, health, water, sanitation and transport initiatives for local communities and tourism, over a third consisted of energy projects—mostly hydropower—and 2% involved mining. Experts say little has been done to address these pressures under new Bolivian President Luis Arce, who took office in Nov. 2020. Arce is a member of the Movement for Socialism (MAS) party of President Evo Morales, who resigned on Nov. 10, 2019 amid accusations of electoral... [Log in to read more]
