Ecological Corridor Tariqía - Baritú

Habitat loss and environmental degradation directly impact on human populations. This is because the natural characteristics, such as a fresh water supply and soil fertility, on which economic activity depends are altered ad transformed in a negative and often irreversible way.

One of PROMETA's strategic lines of action for the conservation of natural habitats within the public and private protected areas of Tarija Department is the establishment of ecological corridors which would permit fragmented ecosystems to reconnect and thus permit movement and recolonization between habitats.

The bi-national Tariquía-Baritú ecological corridor is located between Tariquía Reserve in the south of Tarija Department, Bolivia, and Baritú National Park in the north of Argentina. It is found in the eco-region denominated as Tucumanic-Bolivian Jungle and known also as Andean Yungas.

The objective of this bi-national corridor is to conserve, protect, and reestablish a connection between the two protected areas covering the Andean Yungas ecosystem, which although being one of the largest in South America, is also one of the most fragmented due to human activities. The corridor aims to become a transnational ecological link which will assure continuity in one of South America's most representative eco-regions.

Threats faced by the corridor

Several human activities pose a threat to the corridor. Among these are:

- Construction of dams
- Forestry
- Fossil-fuel related activities
- Expanding agriculture
-

Cattle ranching

Action plan to confront the threats

In order to preserve bio-diversity and mitigate the impact of human activities which threaten the corridor and action plan, based on its experience in the protected areas, has been designed by PROMETA.

The action plan has three components:

1.

Economic component
The aim of this component is to improve the income of peasant families living in the corridor's area. This improvement will be accomplished by restoring damaged habitats and by encouraging local inhabitants to adopt rational and sustainable methods in using the area's natural resources.
2.

Environmental component
This component's goal is to preserve and restore the area's natural characteristics by strengthening the ways in which wildlife is controlled and recovering damaged habitats.
3.

Institutional and public participation component
To guarantee continuity in the process and sustainability of the corridor plan it is important to strengthen the efficiency of local public and private institutions, and to encourage the participation of civil society and its organizations.

 

Each one of these components is comprised of a series of action programs which will be executed through specific projects. At the same time, and in a similar manner, a jurisdictional and institutional frame is set down which is in accord with the environmental policy of the involved countries, Bolivia and Argentina.

The proposal for the administration of the Tariquía-Baritu Bi-national Ecological Corridor is a reflection of the combined effort of civil society and the Bolivian state to achieve sustainable human development.

It also represent an advancement at the continental level in bio-diversity conservation, as well as a step forward in relations between the two countries of Argentina and Bolivia.

 

To obtain more information on the corridor or to organize tours, research projects, volunteer work or other activities please contact PROMETA at:

Calle Alejandro del Carpio No. E-0659
Tarija, Bolivia

Tel/fax: (591) 4 - 6645865
  (591) 4 - 6633873
E-mail: prometa@olivo.tja.entelnet.bo
 

samatja@olivo.tja.entelnet.bo