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Threats faced by the area
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Inadequate
water use practices. |
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Wild
fires that threaten the vegetation on which the water supplies
depend, as well as rare animal species. |
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Illegal
poaching of native animal species. |
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Extraction
of gravel from river beds. |
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Extraction
of native plant species. |
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Looting
and vandalism of archaeological sites. |
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Excessive
livestock grazing which results in soil degradation. |
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Loss
of cultural diversity due to the migration of local populations. |
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Conservation activities
in the reserve
All conservation activities
within the reserve form part of PROMETA's Biodiversity Conservation Strategy,
the main objective of which is to preserve the reserve's ecosystems and
the flora and fauna of each of the area's ecological floors. These activities
are planned and executed in partnership with the reserve's inhabitants,
who thus become active beneficiaries of the projects.
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Environmental education
With the aim of achieving sustainable conservation of the reserve
an educational program that attempts to sensitize local and regional
populations is undertaken.
Educational activities target specific
groups such as teachers, children and adults living in the reserve,
as well as youth and adult from the city.
All educational activities share
an environmental content and focus and are absorbed into schools'
curriculums at a methodological and participative level.
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Community development
The aim of this program is to help local peasant families, with
an emphasis on women's issues, reach certain necessities such as
education, health care, production assistance and protection of
their natural resources, to which they normally have no access.
Three focus areas are promoted to
provide inclusive support to the communities:
| 1. |
Economic
development driven by production and small business assistance,
formation of cooperatives, improvement of roads and irrigation
facilities. |
| 2. |
Human
development through improved education and health, support of
the peasant woman, and organizational support. |
| 3. |
Environmental
projects such as tree nurseries, gas storage facilities, and
the reforestation of slopes to reduce erosion and protect rivers.
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Sustainable use of natural resources
One of the biggest threats facing the reserve is the unsustainable
use of the areas natural resources by local populations. Activities
that fall under this category would include wood collecting,
gravel extraction from river beds, hunting, plant picking,
and grazing and planting practices.
In order to reduce the threat
posed by these activities, several programs are implemented
with the goals of offering local populations sustainable alternatives
in animal rearing, farming, and production of crafts, while
at the same time empowering women's role in decision making
over the use of natural resources:
| 1. |
Hydroponic
fodder production program the objective of which is to
improve cattle's health and reduce the impact of grazing. |
| 2. |
Establishment
of small forests of native species to promote local species
such as the Quewiña and to provide refuge and habitats
for animals. |
| 3. |
Reforestation
of damaged areas in order to reverse the effects of erosion.
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| 4. |
Promotion
of mixed bovine - cameloid cattle raising in order to
maximize derived economic benefits as well as to reduced
negative impact on the environment. Research on management
and grazing techniques, feed production and animal reproduction
is conducted and training and technical support is provided
to local producers. |
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Vigilance and protection
The program's goal is to reduce the incidence of illegal poaching
and inadequate plant extraction, and to protect archaeological sites.
Part of the program's strategy involves monthly patrols of the area's
entire territory and periodic training of the park rangers and local
community authorities in protection, monitoring, environmental education
and ecology.
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Research
One of the objectives for the creation of the reserve makes reference
to the establishment of an area to facilitate the development of experimental
projects in sustainable use of natural resources with the end goal
of contributing significantly to regional development. To achieve
this different research project are implemented which follow three
main lines:
| 1. |
Biological |
| 2. |
Archaeological |
| 3. |
Applied
(integrated plague management) |
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Water resource management
One of the principal ecological services provided by the reserve
is the provision of fresh water for irrigation and for use in the
main city of the Department, Tarija. This is because the reserve
contains within its bounds the main sources of fresh water.
This program has as its objective
the conservation of the water supply by the valuation of the water
sources, the implementation of conservation, protection, planning,
and environmental education programs. The end goal is to guarantee
medium and long term sustainability of the resource.
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Ecotourism
This program attempts to provide an alternate for of development
to communities within the reserve. For this purpose tourism
activities in the reserve have been planned, and are regulated,
in such a way as to be an organized and sustainable activity
that does not harm the local ecosystems. Part of the program
includes training of local inhabitants involved in the activity,
the building of appropriate infrastructure and the mapping
of tourist trails and circuits.
Click
here for more information on ecotourism at the reserve…
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To obtain more information
on the reserve or to organize tours, research projects, volunteer work
or other activities please contact PROMETA at:
Calle Alejandro del Carpio
No. E-0659
Tarija, Bolivia
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