Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
NATIONAL PARKS & RESERVES
Bolivia has protected 18% of its total land by declaring 22 national protected areas and ad-
ditional regional reserves under what is known as the Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegi-
das (SNAP). The system is one of the most extensive on the continent, but even though it
covers much of Bolivia's most amazing landscapes, the reality is that most reserves are
only nominally protected.
The system of protected areas is managed by the government-run administrative body
Servicio Nacional de Áreas Protegidas
(SERNAP;
www.sernap.gob.bo
)
. In order to try to
address the chronic financial and staffing issues that this body faces, local and international
NGOs have worked with SERNAP to create innovative ways to preserve select habitats,
with varying degrees of success.
Such projects have typically aimed to encourage local involvement and co-management
of protected areas in an effort to attract tourists to community-based, ecotourism experien-
ces, as well as to produce commercially viable natural products, including medicinal pat-
ents. A comprehensive guide to such initiatives in Bolivia was published in 2008:
Desde
adentro
(Deep Inside Bolivia).
