Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
threatened genus of
Polylepis
shrubs which form dense, low forests at altitudes of up to
5300m, making them the highest growing arborescent plants in the world.
The lower elevations of the temperate highland hills and valleys support vegetation su-
perficially reminiscent of that of Spain or California. The area around Samaipata is partic-
ularly rich in endemic plants, including a cactus
Samaipaticereus
and a bromeliad
Tilland-
sia samaipatensis
, while the gigantic Bolivian mountain coconut
Parajubaea torallyi
of
the inter-Andean valleys is the world's highest growing palm.
The moist upper slopes of the Yungas are characterized by dwarf forest. Further down
the slopes stretches the cloud forest, where the trees grow larger and the vegetation thick-
er. Northern Bolivia's lowlands consist of islands of true rainforest dotted with vast wet-
lands and endangered
cerrados
, while the Amazon Basin contains the richest botanical di-
versity on earth.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Bolivia's environmental problems may not yet have reached apocalyptic proportions, but environmentalists are
concerned that accelerating economic growth is not being tempered by the necessary measures to maintain a
sound ecological balance. Besides extensive land clearing for agricultural monocultures (particularly soybean),
ranching and hydrocarbon exploration, there are also concerns about the future of freshwater supplies, with glaci-
ers melting and the rivers increasingly polluted.
Many nonprofit organizations are working on countrywide environmental conservation efforts, including the
following local groups:
»
Asociación Armonía
(
www.armonia-bo.org
)
Everything you need to know about
bird-watching and bird conservation.
»
Fundación Amigos de la Naturaleza
(
Click here
)
One of the most active of the
local conservation groups, working at the national level.
»
Protección del Medioambiente del Tarija
(Prometa;
www.elgranchaco.com/pro-
meta
)
Works in the Gran Chaco region on a series of social and conservation initiat-
ives.
Threatened Species
Though it's the anteaters and jaguars that get all the headlines, these species are wide-
spread throughout South America, and the most threatened members of the Bolivian fauna
are not necessarily the most conspicuous or famous. There are exceptions, of course: the
