Bolivian forests
Bolivia has 53 million hectares of natural forest, of which 63% (33.5 million hectares) is used exclusively for forestry purposes, and 8.5 million hectares are under sustainable forest management.
Natural forests in Bolivia have a wide variety of uses, such as wood, food for animals, grazing, recreation, medicine and many others. They are a source of complementary traditional resources for subsistence among rural and indigenous communities in the lowlands. Forest resources are also the foundation of a growing industry, as well as generate employment and income for the state and local governments.
Natural forests in Bolivia have a wide variety of uses, such as wood, food for animals, grazing, recreation, medicine and many others. They are a source of complementary traditional resources for subsistence among rural and indigenous communities in the lowlands. Forest resources are also the foundation of a growing industry, as well as generate employment and income for the state and local governments.
Environmental services
Some of the benefits obtained from the forests include:
- Maintain pure air, since forests are the most important producers of oxygen and absorbers of carbon dioxide
- Contribute in producing and purifying drinking water
- Regulate climate (temperature, rain, solar radiation, humidity)
- Mitigate extreme climate conditions, such as storms and floods
- Help conserve medicinal plants and other species yet to be discovered
- Represent areas of recreation, meditation and spirituality
- Provide food and shelter to animals and plants
- Contribute in forming and maintaining soil fertility
- Help control plagues and diseases
- Provide resources and raw material to build homes, and thus contribute to generating income.
