The project seeks to strengthen local capacities to improve the management of protected areas, indigenous territories, and ecological corridors, supporting long-term conservation goals for ecosystems and local livelihoods. The main objective is to consolidate over time a large, interconnected geographical mosaic that allows for greater opportunities to protect key natural resources and ensure the continuity of evolutionary ecological processes in nature and the conservation of biodiversity, increasing resilience and maintaining ecosystem functions that guarantee the quality of life of communities through strengthened management and a reduced level of threat. Complementary tasks of the initiative focus on the implementation of innovative ecological monitoring and early warning technologies in situations of threats from deforestation, burning, poaching, illegal mining, and other factors that alter ecosystems. That is, strengthening the capacities of staff in Protected and Conserved Areas, involving local representatives, and equally important, training technical teams of young people from Indigenous Territories in the use of digital technologies for monitoring, cartographic management, communications, establishing news dissemination systems, exchanging experiences, and sharing information and methodologies at the regional level. We believe that this impetus will increase the possibility and opportunity for the continuity of the various conservation and management units present in this vast geographical mosaic.

Project background.

Over the past four years, SAVIA has undertaken various initiatives to support the improved management of protected areas, Indigenous territories, and ecological corridors in the region. These efforts have been limited by scarce resources, hindering coverage of the extensive geographic area and the involvement of multiple stakeholders. Nevertheless, SAVIA has been able to carry out specific activities with Indigenous communities committed to protecting their biodiversity within their traditional territories. These initiatives have also focused on strengthening management committees in key protected areas and building the specific capacities of park rangers. Furthermore, SAVIA has participated in awareness-raising activities within local communities, with a strong emphasis on gender inclusion, and has collaborated with other regional institutions supporting conservation efforts, the sustainable use of water resources, and forest protection. Strategic alliances have been established with various local institutions and others working in the region, with the expectation of expanding and diversifying its support for Indigenous communities and protected areas. In this context, interventions were carried out using modest funding, primarily from small projects funded by IUCN_NL and the UNDP SGP. To ensure the continuity of this initiative, the Monaco Foundation will provide support from January 2024 to June 2026. This new funding represents a further achievement for the benefit of local stakeholders who are called upon to defend their protected areas and territories. This means that the added value of this proposed new project will be significant in synergy with the efforts that SAVIA is already undertaking in the region. Of particular importance are the approaches developed, such as methodologies and systems for detecting, monitoring, and controlling threats to ecosystems, and for fostering a positive attitude among local communities and populations toward efforts to protect and sustainably use nature.

Geographical intervention.

Four protected areas: Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park, Otuquis National Park, San Matías National Park, Noel Kempff National Park.

Three indigenous territories and lands: Guandare-Kuarirenda, Turubo and Bajo Paragua-Porvenir.

Problems and challenges addressed.

The main themes of the proposal are:

• Improved management of protected areas, indigenous spaces and biological corridors.

• Increased capacity and skills in monitoring and controlling impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity in general.

• Use of technological tools and new methodologies to make ecosystem protection actions more efficient against threats.

• Increase local awareness of conservation efforts. Key challenges include:

• Adoption of new technologies and innovative methodologies for monitoring and controlling threats, to be applied by the local population (park rangers, area management committees, indigenous technicians).

• Efficient prioritization of impacts and threats to ecosystems and protected areas.

• Increase the positive attitude, sensitivity and empathy of local populations towards the conservation of ecosystems and protected areas.

• To contribute to ensuring that the processes and mechanisms for the local protection of biodiversity are adopted in the long term and are sustainable.

Background of the region.

The vast region encompassed by the project includes a large area of the world's best-preserved tropical dry forest, the Chiquitano Dry Forest, which also borders other geographically significant areas, such as the Pantanal, the Chaco, and the Southern Amazon. For over two decades, a network of important national and municipal protected areas has been established within this large region, functioning as biological corridors that connect major national areas. Within these protected areas and surrounding zones, there are also several traditional Chiquitano and Guarani Indigenous territories. This entire region, rich in biodiversity, endemic species, and resources that provide local sustenance, is threatened by deforestation at various scales and by illegal or inadequately regulated mining, which affects some protected areas at a higher level of risk. The advance of deforestation is linked to agribusiness and livestock farming, and consequently, to the occurrence of large fires that damage the region's delicate ecosystems.

The main beneficiaries.

The main beneficiaries of the project are the local indigenous and peasant communities and older populations from different areas of the region (Chiquitanía, Chaco, Pantanal, Amazonía), totaling approximately 20.

– Other beneficiaries are four management committees of national and municipal protected areas, made up of representatives of local communities and municipalities in the region.

Finally, park rangers in protected areas also benefit, totaling around 50 people with a technical profile.

View information… https://www.saviabolivia.org/asociacion-de-comites-de-gestion/

See news article… https://saviabolivia.org/noticias/6to-gran-taller-de-comites-de-gestion-con-amplia-participacion-de-actores-locales-y-autoridades-de-los-tres-niveles-de-gobierno/