To protect forests and develop sustainable natural resource management to conserve water-producing ecosystems, with the mission to improve the quality of life for local communities in Bolivia. To manage and implement their Watershared model that maintains the hydrological function of forests to ensure clean water for all.
Natura Bolivia was founded in 2003 to protect water sources through forest conservation and sustainable natural resource management for a system that works for both people and wildlife.
Since its creation, the organisation has seen its Watershared model rolled out by 52 municipal governments in Bolivia, with 6,800-plus indigenous people and 270,000 downstream water users joining forces to preserve over 367,000 hectares of water-producing forest.
World Land Trust (WLT) was introduced to Natura Bolivia by our operational partner Nature and Culture International (NCI) in 2015. Nigel Asquith from Natura Bolivia visited the WLT office to discuss project opportunities later that year.
In 2016, and thanks to funding from Arcadia, WLT was able to begin supporting Natura Bolivia’s work to create municipal protected areas and work with local communities on better land management in the Bolivian Chaco.
In 2018, WLT and NCI jointly funded the creation of Héroes del Chaco Historical and Wildlife Municipal Reserve. This protects 664,484 acres of Bolivian Dry Chaco forest, safeguarding species such as Guanaco, Jaguar, Chacoan Peccary and Lowland Tapir.
In 2019, WLT also helped Natura Bolivia preserve Área de Vida Guajukaka or ‘Guanaco Reserve’, forming a continuous corridor of protected forests for Bolivian wildlife across the reserves.
Please see our Bolivia page.
Creation of Reciprocal Water Agreements as a conservation incentive to protect important watersheds
Creation of municipal protected areas in strategic conservation sites.
Founded ARA School to teach technical skills to local leaders and decision makers involved in the creation of Reciprocal Water Agreements.
Advise and provide support to decision makers in order to create policy and law to scale conservation models
Executive Director: María Teresa Vargas
Email: [email protected]
Website: naturabolivia.org