On Monday, January 30, the executive director of Environmental Protection Tarija (Prometa), Rodrigo Ayala, and the executive director of the National Service of Protected Areas (Sernap), Teodoro Mamani Ibarra, signed an inter-institutional cooperation agreement that aims to support the management of the Cordillera de Sama Biological Reserve, as well as local development and the sustainable use of natural resources in communities in the area.
The signing of the agreement took place in the framework of the 32nd anniversary of the Cordillera de Sama Biological Reserve and was held at Prometa's offices. In addition to the executive directors, the director of the Sama Reserve, Marcelo Ruiz, and the president of the Reserve's Management Committee, Renán Donaire, were also present.
At the signing of the agreement, Ayala highlighted the work that Sernap, Prometa, and the Foundation for the Development of the National System of Protected Areas (FUNDESNAP) have been carrying out long before the signing, and predicted much more joint work. He also thanked the director of Sernap for his trust and predisposition.
Meanwhile, Mamani thanked Prometa for its work, reflected on the importance of working together and recalled some of the achievements of his institution, which is becoming more sustainable day by day.
The director of the Sama Reserve highlighted the support of FUNDESNAP, Prometa and cited the creation of the Reserve's Platform as one of the best results.
Sernap and Prometa, a joint effort
Sernap and Prometa, together with FUNDESNAP, have been working on projects related to the Cordillera de Sama Biological Reserve. One of their achievements is the creation of the Sama platform, which consists of the combined efforts of several national and Tarija institutions that are concerned about the reserve's situation and have the common objective of joining forces to improve its protection. To this end, they contribute money, in kind or services.
"Some will contribute with money, others with supplies, labor and whatever else they can. For example, an important tannery is giving us boots for our firefighters," explained the director of the Sama Reserve.
The importance of the Reserve
The Cordillera de Sama Biological Reserve, created in 1991 with an area of 108,500 hectares, covers part of the territory of six municipalities: Yunchará, El Puente, Tarija, Uriondo, Padcaya and San Lorenzo. It has six basins of great importance for the region, one of which is the Guadalquivir basin, which provides water to the population of Tarija and communities in its area of influence. This "water source for the Central Valley of Tarija" is considered one of the protected area's conservation targets.
The reserve is also a Ramsar site -one of the most important wetlands in Bolivia- because it is home to a great diversity of flora (254 species) and fauna (more than 180 species) at high altitude.
In an area adjacent to the Sama Reserve (western sector) is the most important aquifer recharge area of the Central Valley of Tarija in the Tolomosa area, which is made up of two basins that converge in the Guadalquivir River: the Tolomosa and La Vitoria river basins, the former is a source of water for irrigation and electricity production. The second provides 33% of the drinking water for the city of Tarija and in the rainy season covers up to 70% of the water demand.