Mountain Partnership

Languages menu:

Bolivia

National Committee

The Chairman of the National Committee was a representative of the Ministry of Sustainable Development. A Focal Point was appointed to represent each of the mountain departments, namely: Ascociacion Sucrense de Ecologia (ASE) in Chuquisaca; the Municipal Council of Cochabamba and the University of San Simon in Cochabamba, the Programme of Native Andean Forests (PROBONA) in La Paz; the Centre of Ecology and Andean Peoples (CEPA) in Oruro; the Society of Ecology (SOPE) in Potosi; the organisation 'Vida Verde' (VIVE) in Tarija; and the Eastern Ecological Association (ASEO) in Santa Cruz. Three working groups were also appointed by the National Committee in three key sectors: (i) the management of natural resources, (ii) agriculture and forestry, and (iii) tourism and culture.

Composition of the National Committee

Government

Ministry of Agriculture
Vice-Ministry of Tourism
Ministry of Sustainable Development and Planning
Bolivian Post-office

UN

CB-UICN Union Internacional para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza
FAO representative in Bolivia

NGO

Asociación Sucrense de Ecologia in Chuquisaca
Concejo Municipal of Cochabamba
The Programme of Native Andean Forests in La Paz
The Centre of Andean Peoples Study in Oruro
La Sociedad Potosina de Ecologia in Potosi
La Asociación Ecologica del Oriente in Santa Cruz
'Vida Verde' Organisation in Tarija
CIOEC Integrating Committee for Organisation of Rural Economy of Bolivia
SERNAP National Service of Protected Areas/servicio nacional de Areas Protegidas
The Swiss Development Coooperation (SDC) COSUDE
REDESMA, Network for Sustainable Development
research: Bolivian National Academy of Sciences
UMSS-AGRUCO, Universidad Mayor de San Simón
UMSA Department of Tourism of the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés

Activities and Achievements during the International Year of Mountains

International

The Regional Meeting of Mountain Peoples of the Andes was held in Achocalla. As a result of this meeting, an Association of Mountain Peoples of Bolivia was formed.

The Latin American Intercultural Encounter, 'Dialogue relating to Basic Information for Sustainable Development in the Andes' was held in Cochabamba with representatives from Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú and Guatemala (14-19 October). This conference was also linked to the II International Conference of the Quechua Language held in the same month.

Interregional:

The 'Ascension Binacional al Parinacota' conference was attended by 22 representatives from Andean regions in Bolivia and Chile (22-24 October).

National

Numerous activities were organized to mark the International Year of Mountains in each of the seven departments within the Andes (Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Tarija and Santa Cruz) including seminars, workshops, conferences, trade fairs, festivals, competitions, exhibitions, promotional campaigns and educational material for schools.

The key event of the Year was the National Conference, 'Development of Mountain Ecosystems and Biodiversity in Bolivia', held in the city of Cochabamba (18-20 September), which aimed to develop strategies for the formulation of legislation for sustainable mountain development in Bolivia.

A joint exhibition 'Our mountains source of life, Bolivia and its mountain culture' and 'The Swiss Alps' travelled for six months throughout the country.

Promotional activities for International Year of Mountains
The country distributed 10,000 posters throughout the country and produced a video, 'Bolivia from the tops of its mountains', calendars and brochures. A series of five commemorative postage stamps were also issued.

Publications

Many of the International Year of Mountains activities have been recorded in the following publications:

Memorias Samaipata: I Encuentro de las Montañas de Santa Cruz sobre recursos naturales, agricultura sostenible, turismo y cultura;

Memorias Comarapa: Santa Cruz: Intercambio Y difusión de experiencias entre profesionales y técnicos sobre manejo de cuencas y recursos naturales;

Memorias del Coloquio: Ecosistemas de Montaña en Potosí;

Memorias del Encuentro Departamental: Biodiversidad de Ecosistemas de Montaña: nuestras montañas orureñas fuente de vida;

Memorias Encuentro Nacional: Desarollo de los Ecosistemas de montaña y biodiversidad en Bolivia.

Beyond the International Year of Mountains

The International Year of Mountains in Bolivia was a notable success. Several urgent environmental hazards and threats were came to light through investigative studies, such as the high level of pollution in Rio Pilcomayo and the bad management of paleontological sites in Chuquisaca. Thanks to the knowledge gained and experiences shared with other countries during the Year, the national committee was able to clarify the need for specific policies and has now evolved a plan of action at national and local level with contributions from each mountain department.

The International Year of Mountains culminated in the presentation to the Minister of Sustainable Development and Planning of a Proposal for Priority Strategies for the Development of Mountain Ecosystems. This was subsequently formulated into 'Priority Policies for the Development of Mountain Ecosystems' aimed at the public and private sectors and civil society.

The permanent office of the National Committee continues to function.

top