Project
Restoration of Native Vegetation on the Southern Slope of Tunari National Park

Project Area
The southern slope of Tunari National Park is a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) and a priority for the conservation of several threatened and restricted-range species. It also plays a crucial role in the water cycle, which is very important for the future of the metropolitan region of Cochabamba. This project will be implemented in the municipality of Tiquipaya, which hosts a mosaic landscape with agricultural areas, eucalyptus plantations, and a few scattered areas where patches of native vegetation still persist.

Project Goals
For more than 10 years, Armonía has invested efforts to protect these forests and the most threatened bird species that depend on them as habitats. This project also contributes to the sustainable development of the communities that live in the area by strengthening the ecological use of natural resources, and promoting a buffer zone between local communities and the protected area. In 2018, Armonía (together with the Quechua communities of Puina and Keara), carried out the largest Polylepis forest reforestation in Bolivia (28,000 seedlings in the Madidi protected area). Several local communities, including Cruzani, Laphia, Totora, and Thola Pujru (among others) plan to reforest seedlings annually in Tunari National Park to restore the high-altitude chain of Andean forests in this area. In coordination with the government of Cochabamba and other key stakeholders, a comprehensive restoration program focusing on the native vegetation types along the southern slope of Tunari National Park within the municipality of Tiquipaya is being implemented. Overall project goals include:

  • Plant a minimum 100,000 seedlings of native species annually at an altitude ranging from 2,750m (9,022ft) to 4,000m (13,123ft) above sea level, of which approximately 50% must be Polylepis subtusalbida, which is one of the most threatened plant varieties in the tropical Andes.
  • Assist the communities that are within Tunari National Park in the development of a forest management plan for pine and eucalyptus plantations that are in their territories to ensure non-native tree species on commercial plots do not negatively impact native forests. This tool will be very useful to facilitate a relational approach between local communities and the protected area.
  • Implement a communication strategy to educate and inform the population of the metropolitan region of Cochabamba about the valuable ecosystem functions offered by Tunari National Park, and the intrinsic biological value of this protected area.

Current Results
Native Trees Planted: 243,780
Hectares Restored: 153
Nurseries Built & Maintained: 2
Communities Involved: 17
2022-2023 Tree Planting Projection: 210,000