Photo: FAN / Juan Carlos Maldonado - Pampagrande

In 1999 Fundación Amigos de la Naturaleza carried out Eco-regional Planning for the Southwest Amazon Region. In 2001 it developed the first Conservation and Sustainable Development Plan for the Chiquitano Dry Forests, Cerrado and Bolivian Wetlands. It was the only one in the country, covered seven million hectares of land, and is currently being implemented. Between 2003 and 2005 FAN, with support from actors in the conservation sector, and in coordination with the national government, prepared two relevant papers titled "Biodiversity conservation vision for the Amboró – Madidi Corridor" and "Bolivia Gap Analysis of National Protected Area System". The methodology used for the latter was qualified by the UICN as an example for the development of Gap Analyses for Representativity.

Likewise FAN has designed and implemented management instruments for protected areas, indigenous territories, natural resources, and species. Among its most important achievements are the Management Plans for Noel Kempff Mercado National Park and Amboró National Park. Fan also led the preparation of a Management Plan for the first Municipal Reserve of Bolivia (Tucavaca in Santa Cruz) and updated the Management Plan for the Biosphere Reserve in the department of Beni through a singular and successful participative process of agreement with local indigenous stakeholders, farmers, settlers, municipalities and cattle ranching associations. FAN provided technical support so the indigenous communities of Bajo Paraguá, whose territory borders Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, could have three management instruments: a Forest Management Plan, a Natural Resource Management Plan, and a Fishing Management Plan. The design and implementation of a Community Development Plan for communities neighboring Noel Kempff Mercado National Park and the "Participative Municipal Planning" Program for those near Amboró National Park have been among the first in Bolivia to establish dialogue with communities surrounding Protected Areas in order to satisfy their needs and conserve biodiversity harmoniously.

On the other hand, within the framework of the National Sustainable Biotrade Program, 391 indigenous and farming communities, 12 indigenous organizations, 9 associations of producers, and 125 owners of cattle ranches, all grouped into 64 Biotrade initiatives and small businesses, now sustainably use their natural resources using management plan for wildlife species prepared with FAN's support.

Photo: FAN / Archivo - Camp. Las Torres PNNKM

FAN is a pioneer in the implementation of the co-management model for Noel Kempff Mercado National Park within the framework of an agreement with the National Government which began in 1995 and lasted for a decade. Consulting provided on the efficient management of this protected area, implemented by the National Protected Areas Service, positioned Noel Kempff National Park as one of the best managed areas in the country. In addition, during co-management the park was declared a Natural Heritage of Humanity site by UNESCO, the only one in Bolivia. The park has one of the most innovative long-term sustainable financing strategies, developed by FAN: the design and execution of the Noel Kempff Mercado Climate Action Project (PAC-NK).

Since its creation FAN has actively contributed to conservation of the Amboró Protected Area beginning with its delimitation in the early 1990's through its management under various projects such as the Parks in Peril Program. FAN has also led the creation of new protected areas such as the Tucavaca Municipal Reserve of Santa Cruz (now a departmental reserve) and the Río Blanco y Negro Wildlife Reserve (now also departmental) as well as ecological conservation easements on private land. As to regulations, FAN has been one of the most active institutions in constructing the various versions of the Protected Areas Law which is still pending approval, in addition to other regulations relating to protected areas.

Throughout the past few years FAN, along with other institutions, has implemented the first initiative for a conservation corridor in Bolivia. The Amboró – Madidi Conservation Corridor is a project that focuses on strengthening national conservation and natural resource policies, generating land use planning that is compatible with, and sustainable at, various levels (municipal, departmental and national), and implementing sustainable natural resource management practices, providing support for the development of economic opportunities. With this focus FAN promotes the construction of capacities and institutional strengthening, participation, inclusion, and sustainability.

Photo: FAN / Sandro Añez - Medición de biomasa Cobija

FAN is a leader and international reference in the design and implementation of climate change mitigation programs relating to changes in soil use (avoided deforestation and reforestation). FAN designed, and is currently implementing, the Noel Kempff Climate Action Project (PAC-NK), the largest climate change program in the world, through forest conservation (approximately 750,000 hectares) and the first to be fully certified in 2005 according to the rigorous standards of the Clean Development Mechanism. Likewise, during the past few years FAN has carried out a Climate Action Project for Reforestation of the Inter-Andean Valleys of Santa Cruz and has led the design and implementation of the Reduced Emissions from Degradation and Deforestation (REDD) Project in Bolivia and Cameroon. FAN is an accredited observer of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), and participates actively in the Conferences of the Parties (COP) of subsidiary organisms, as well as various other international networks of experts in forest projects within the Land Use, Soil Use Change, and Forestry sectors.

Photo: Raúl Perez - Jatata

In 2005 FAN was selected as a technical and financial focal point for the implementation of the National Sustainable Biotrade Program (NSBP) to strengthen networks of native natural resource producers. During its 3 years of implementation FAN provided priority technical and financial assistance to production chains and initiatives that work with 15 Bolivian biotrade products: lizard, tegu lizard, collared peccary, vicuña, jatata (palm fronds), palqui (Acacia feddeana), maca (Lepidium meyenii), butterflies, cusi, copaibo, majo, wild cacao (Theobroma cacao), brazilian nuts, native bee honey, cupuazú, and aromatic herbs.

The following results are worth mentioning: the organization and formation of a Bolivian biotrade sector that works under the environmental, social, economic and legal sustainability concept; the conservation of 5.5 million hectares of ecosystems in the Amazon, Chaco, Yungas, Puna, and Pre-Puna regions by preparing and implementing sustainable management plans; an average increase of 80% (in 3 years) of the sales volumes from 37 initiatives that worked directly with the Program; the Us$ 1,093,390 used by 290 initiatives through reimbursable and non-reimbursable financial services; and the approval of 2 new legal instruments: the Guide for the preparation of biodiversity resource management plans and the commercialization of vicuña fibers.

FAN also worked to support sustainable economic initiatives in local communities within or around the Protected Areas. The following are some examples promoted by FAN: Community Ecotourism in La Yunga, in which a small community that neighbors the Giant Fern forests near Amboró Park doubled the number of tourists and increased its income in one year; the TCO of Bajo Paraguá which neighbors Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is sustainably using its forest resources; the community of Cabra Cancha, south of Amboró National Park, is implementing an environmental services project while protecting its source of water, which comes from cloud forests and provides water for irrigation in communities in the lower basin.

Photo: FAN / Paola Siles - Municipio de Mairana

In the last 4 years FAN has deepened in planning and land management at the municipal, communal and private lands level as an instrument with a high potential for contributing to the conservation of biodiversity. A Model for Management of Municipal Natural Resources and Biodiversity is being implemented in 5 municipalities linked to the National Park Amboró. On the one hand, work is focused on strengthening municipal management and capacity management of natural resources and biodiversity, and also in strengthening the environmental management community that encourage the development of sustainable production.

Municipal Land Use Plan are implemented as tools to promote the planned use of territory and settlements, based on the capacity of soil. All activities are developed in coordination with other institutions that support sustainable development in these municipalities, promoting complementarity and the combination of activities.

Photo: FAN / Juan Carlos Montero - Laguna Volcán, PNA

All of FAN's activities are maintained by the Socio-environmental Information Laboratory that provides information and geographical support and which, along with the important image bank, has become the most highly trusted source of biological and socioeconomic information in Bolivia. Various data exchange projects are being carried out with these capacities, such as the Facilitation Mechanism and the Interinstitutional Information Exchange System.