Protecting 1.5 Million Hectares of Watersheds in Bolivia

The Bajo Madidi Municipal Conservation Area in Ixiamas, Bolivia, protects 1,535,495 hectares of intact savannas, wetlands, and tropical forests, making it the largest municipal conservation area in the country. Part of a binational corridor with the Madidi (Bolivia) and Tambopata (Peru) protected areas, it safeguards ecosystems vital to species such as the maned wolf, the Orinoco goose, and the marsh deer. In addition to conserving 10% of the world's productive Brazil nut trees, the area ensures the protection of six rivers essential for the food security of nearby communities and prohibits extractive activities such as industrial logging and cattle ranching. Created through a broad local participatory process and with the support of Conservation International-Bolivia and ACEAA, this initiative—financially backed by the Andes Amazon Fund and the Wyss Campaign—represents a milestone for the protection of pristine watersheds and landscapes in Bolivia.