Community-Based Conservation to Safeguard Bolivia’s Most Threatened Tree Species

A Community-Based Conservation Strategy to Safeguard Bolivia’s Most Threatened Tree Species through Ecological Restoration

Partner: Missouri Botanical Garden
Years: 2026-2029

This three-year project is strengthening the in situ conservation of ten threatened tree species in Bolivia’s Yungas region by uniting ecological research, community action, and ecosystem restoration. Focused on two high-priority sites, Chairo (Coroico) and the Apa Apa Reserve (Chulumani), both located within recognized Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). The project aims to protect critical ecosystems while building climate resilience and community-based conservation strategy.

Through this initiative, the project team generates species distribution maps to identify population hotspots, produces and plants 25,000-25,500 native tree seedlings across 20 hectares of degraded land along riverbanks and watersheds, 5,000-5,500 of which will be of the ten target threatened species and 15,000 of non-threatened species. Two community nurseries and a seed bank in La Paz provide a foundation for long-term restoration.
The project trains at least 30 local community members, including women and youth, in seed collection, nursery techniques, ecological restoration and ecosystem monitoring, laying the foundation for long-term local stewardship.
By linking ecological research with community leadership and ecological restoration, this initiative offers a scalable, high-impact model for conserving biodiversity and empowering people. The goal is to ensure the long-term survival of endangered tree species and the health of Bolivia’s irreplaceable Yungas forests.
Target species include: Styloceras columnare (EN), Coussapoa david-smithii (EN), Meriania boliviensis (EN), Ocotea comata (VU), Persea bilocularis (EN), Freziera angulosa (EN), Ocotea micrantha (EN), Ocotea solomonii (EN), Pseudolmedia boliviana (EN), Rhodostemonodaphne longiflora (EN).
Some other Missouri Botanical Garden initiatives supported by Franklinia include Tanzania; Madagascar Analava; Madagascar orphaned trees; Kyrgyzstan.